Cat Mad for the Hat
by KaijuRin
Summary: Jefferson/OC The story of how the Hatter met his wife and lost her, and possibly gets her back.
1. Chapter 1

"Because of my work, she lost her mother. I don't want her to lose her father, too." Jefferson stated to the Evil Queen in regards to her job offer.

Once upon a time, there was a young girl whom frequented the farmer's market. Every Sunday to be exact. She had a talent of riddles and persuasion, which she traded in turn for items. She wasn't extraordinary, or in any way particularly breath taking. But average, normal, to put it lightly. But it never stopped him, the one with the hat. The one she always saw by the traveling cart of special and rare herbs, some for healing, magic and usually used for a bit of stew. Though she never saw him buy anything, he was always there. He would smile, nod at her approach with a tip of his unusually large top hat and wish her a good day. His blue eyes seem to pierce right through her delicate frame and the wind would catch in her chest.

Today being Sunday, there he was, by the cart as usual. She walked up to the cart boldly not looking to him but to the herbs on display for sale. She pinched a small bundle of dried purple flowers that still had some shine to their petals, the stems were brittle and a dark brown.

"Good day ma'am."

She looked up to meet his eyes, and that smile again.

"Good day." She said quaintly and returned to replace the flowers she had previously picked up.

"Jefferson."

She looked up to meet his eyes again.

"I'm sorry?" She replied timidly and confused.

"My name is Jefferson. Since we seem to run into each other at this exact location, I thought it would be appropriate to officially introduce myself." He explained suavely and stepped back to make a rather sophisticated bow.

She turned from the herb stand and watched him inquisitively.

"You are quite the eccentric one aren't you?" She replied playfully.

He noticed the tiniest glint in her hazel eyes and a small smirk begin to form across her dusty rose lips. Her eyes were the color of a sunrise. Golden with flecks of orange and red and brown. He felt his mouth begin to mimic the smirk.

"My my, how unexpectedly rude. I imagined that a woman with such grace would at least introduce herself in return. But I seem to have been mistaken to reach out. My apologies ma'am." Jefferson straightened up and tipped his hat to her, about to turn away.

"Grace?! Oh my, Jefferson, please. You are too kind." She sputtered out and reached for his sleeve.

Jefferson turned around quickly and caught the falling mystery girl before crashing to the ground with her atop of him, his hat flying off and rolling a few inches away.

He looked up to her, her mousy brown hair tumbled around her shoulders and onto his chest. It was loosely curled and the sun made it glisten with golden strands. Her hazel eyes in complete shock and her lips slightly parted into a stunned "Oh". He began to chuckle, rising to a full laugh. She followed suit and they both were laughing of embarrassment and surprise all at once.

"I-I'm so hahaha terribly ha sorry, please excuse me. So much for my grace." She excused herself and began to get herself up to a stand.

Jefferson stood carefully and offered her his hand. She looked up to him from her kneeling stance and smiled at the gesture, taking his hand. He assisted her up and watched as she straightened out her brown long skirt that had her loose white ruffled shirt was tucked into, topped with a dark blue cloak that was decorated with ornate black filigree. He cleared his throat and released her hand when she withdrew.

"Again I do apologize for being a little off balance." She replied this time more shy than usual.

"No, please, don't mention it. The encounter was entertaining enough for the both of us. You're not hurt are you?" Jefferson asked, realizing he had made her uncomfortable.

She pulled her hood over her tousled hair and dusted off her skirt for one more good measure. She glanced up to meet his gaze again, seeing the concern and gentleness in his eyes remained.

"I'm quite alright, had a nice soft cushion that caught me…Oh no, I didn't hurt you did I?" She lurched towards him grabbing his hands and turning them over, checking him for any injuries. She turned him around to find a rip at the bottom of his cloak. She kneeled down to look at it more closely. It was about a foot long.

"I can fix this. Please allow me to mend it for you, since it was my fault that this happened." She inched her fingers along the rip, measuring the damage. And then examining the thread color at the bottom where the hem was.

He looked down to her and felt a small smile creep onto his lips. She looked up to meet his stare. She stood up embarrassed and clasped her hands together softly in front of her.

"My home is down the dirt road, past the peach trees and you'll see it. It's the one with the flowers." She said quickly looking in the direction of the dirt path. She turned to look behind her to the ground, where his hat remained. She quickly retrieved it, looked it over and then handed it to him.

He took hold of the brim of his hat and returned it to his head. Gently tilting it down, he looked to the dirt path and then returned his gaze to her.

"Come by later tonight? With a fix comes a meal, if you'd like." She said softly, rubbing her hands together and casting her eyes down.

She turned around quickly and began to walk off to another cart showcasing different vegetables.

"Hey, wait." Jefferson called out to her. Finally, finding his tongue.

She looked over her shoulder back to him.

"And when I arrive at this home of yours, what name should I be asking for?" He asked, taking off his hat again and holding it in one hand while extending his other hand to her.

She smiled and turned away from him again.

"I guess you'll find out if you go. Just ask for the girl with 'Grace'." She called back to him.

Jefferson smiled to himself, returning his hat to his head yet again and looking back to the dirt path. He turned around to search for her in the crowd, having lost sight of her.

"Grace." He chuckles to himself.


	2. Chapter 2

A small cottage made from bricks with a rounded top sat in what seemed to be a field of brightly colored variations of flowers. A chimney peeked through the top where white smoke trailed off into the breeze. The sun was setting behind the hills that lined around the cottage. There were two windows in the front on either side of the dark wood door.

Jefferson removed his hat and wrung the brim of it in his hands, his torn cloak draped over his right arm. He checked over his shoulder nervously and then back to the cottage. There was light coming from the windows, and the aroma of the flowers made the home seem almost, magical. He looked down to his hands and laughed to himself.

"This is silly." He muttered to himself.

"What's silly sir?"

Jefferson turned around to meet the gaze of a small boy with loosely curled mousy brown hair that was shortly cut to about two inches. His eyes a vibrant green.

They both turned to the sound of a door creaking open. There she stood smiling out to them.

"Well come on in before you catch a cold." She called out to them.

The boy looked up to Jefferson as he ran past him to the path leading to the house. Jefferson began to walk up the path as well, as if following the energy that flowed through him.

"Good evening Mr. Jefferson." She greeted him with a soft smile.

He looked around and up to the sky then back to her.

"Strange, I was supposed to meet a girl with grace here. Any idea where I might find her? You can't be her if I'm to ask for her, right?" He smiled playfully, his eyes catching the last ray of sun, showing a sparkle.

She laughed and stood aside for him to enter the home. He looked down to his feet and exhaled, stepping into the home. He looked up to the warmly lit living room. Flowers were arranged everywhere, and placed on the center of the table was an arrangement. The fireplace held a pot that was simmering gently, wafting the smell of something deliciously home cooked. To the right of that was a counter crudely crafted from pine. To the left of the center dining table were two chairs and a large chest, ornate and hinged with brass bindings. Shelves lined the walls, holding household items and figurines of a white rabbit. Jefferson smiled to himself and looked down again to his feet.

"What's so funny?" She asked him, smiling.

"Oh no, I was just thinking to myself that it was a good thing that I didn't bring you any flowers." He smiled, starting to wring the brim of his hat again.

The boy emerged from a drape that was to the back of the home. Revealing a hallway, leading to two bedrooms.

"Sissy, who is this?" He asked, still holding onto the drape.

She looked to her kid brother and back to Jefferson.

"This is my new friend, his name is Jefferson." She explained, gesturing back and forth between the two.

Jefferson smiled and straightened up to cross one arm behind his back and the other in front of him, bowing deeply.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance.." He gestured to the boy.

"Jonathon." The boy smiled and returned the bow in his best attempt.

"Oh Prince Jonathon, you have no need to bow to such a humble man as I." Jefferson stated quickly and tipping his head forward.

The boy laughed and raced to his sister's side.

"Prince?" She asked playfully.

"Well clearly you are a Princess. Just look at your beautiful castle. It's only fit for royalty." He responded whilst walking around the dinner table, gesturing to the flowers.

She laughs and hides her smile behind her hand. Jefferson looks to Jonathon and gives him a wink. He folds his arms in front of him, still holding his hat and cloak.

"Oh dear, where are my manners, please allow me to take your things, have a seat, dinner will be ready soon." She says waving her hand in front of her face while crossing the room to collect Jefferson's belongings, taking them to the chairs in the left corner of the house, neatly placing them on the back. Jefferson watches her cross the room. As if she were gliding, or floating with each step. He takes his place at the table, pulling out one of the chairs. Jonathon takes the seat next to him, his eyes alight with childlike curiosity.

"If I'm a Prince and my sissy a Princess, does that make you Knight?" Jonathon asks excitedly.

Jefferson leans in closer to Jonathon, gesturing for him to keep his voice low. She crosses the room to the fireplace to tend to the pot of cooking food.

"Of course, but don't let your sissy know just yet. It's our little secret." Jefferson whispers.


	3. Chapter 3

Jefferson leans back in his seat with a final wave to Jonathon.

Jonathon disappears behind the drape, leading to the bedrooms.

"Lovely dinner, thank you ma'am." Jefferson says in a quiet voice. Resting his gaze on her across the table.

She's holding his cloak and mending to the tear with a thread and needle. Golden thread to match his cloak. She glances up to meet his gaze and blushes deeply, hiding her face more with the cloak.

"Oh it was nothing. It would have been better if I had the herbs I was looking for today. But thank you I'm glad you enjoyed it." She responded quietly.

Jefferson leans forward and rests his left arm on the table, watching her stitch up his cloak. She works methodically and with precision, he notices. Her small slim fingers holding everything so delicately. She lowers the cloak to the table and examines her work.

"I hope that's good enough. I am sorry again." She says as she passes the cloak across the table to him.

He takes it gingerly from her grasp and pulls it up for examination. It's perfect, as if a tear never happened. He runs his fingers over the stitching and feels the raised bumps from the stitches.

"It's perfect. Thank you very much ma'am. I should bring all of my tattered clothes to you for mending. Best I've ever seen." He states enthusiastically, looking up to meet her smiling eyes. The fire light catching in them, making them glow. He lowers the cloak and takes a moment to admire it all.

"Katarina." She says.

"What?" Jefferson's eyebrows knit together in confusion and taken by surprise.

"My name." She says flatly.

"Katarina.." He says reassuringly and cherishing the sound.

She blushes and looks to her hands knitted together on the table. He reaches across the table and grabs her hands gently. She looks up startled.

"It's fitting. A lovely name, for a lovely girl." He says almost in a whisper.

She pulls her hands away and stands up abruptly, picking up the needle and thread and turning to put it away. Jefferson drops his hand to the table and looks away ashamed. He stands up quietly, collecting his coat and hat, adorning both silently. He clears his throat gently. Katarina turns around slowly and leans against the wall behind her.

"I'm sorry ma'am. Did not mean to offend you. I best be going now." Jefferson says monotonously, looking out the window to the dark roads.

He feels a gentle touch on his right forearm and looks to it to find those small delicate fingers placed there. Her nails were oval shaped and a soft pink color.

"Jefferson..may I ask something of you? If it isn't too bold?" Her voice comes sweetly, like a song.

"Anything." He looks to her hair cascading over her shoulder, meeting the middle of her abdomen.

She slowly reaches up and cups her hand to his cheek, causing him to look into her eyes again.

"Meet me at the market, every Sunday." She says with full sincerity.

He stares into her eyes, then exams her face for any hint of a joke or playfulness. But none is found, just something more. Something he's never seen before. He feels the warmth come to his cheeks. And a smile creeps into his expression.

"Always, Katarina."


	4. Chapter 4

The week passed by slowly, the long wait was torturing Jefferson. He paced his home slowly, checking the sun in the sky, waiting for it to set and rise again. Finally the morning came. He dressed himself in a red shirt, with a black vest on top of that. His usual black pants, and his golden brown cloak. He pulled up the hem of his cloak, running his fingers over the stitching again and thinking of her.

"Katarina." He breathed out, savoring the taste of her name on his tongue. Dropping the hem of his cloak to swing into place he grabs his hat and places it dutifully atop his head. And proceeds to exit his home.

The sun was brilliantly bright this day, but the air had a clean, crisp feel to it. He breathed in the scent of the world and caught the smell of freshly bloomed flowers. Looking down to his right he noticed a small flower had grown next to his door. He smiles to himself, recalling the memories from the previous Sunday.

Jefferson navigated his way through the herds of people at the farmer's market, weaving his way to the herb cart. He bursts through a small gaggle of women and eyes the cart ahead. Standing in front of it already is her. In her blue cloak. The hood of it is down and her curly hair is being picked gingerly by the breeze. He stops and admires the scene that plays out in front of him. Suddenly, she looks over her shoulder, the sun catching that special glint in her eyes. She locks eyes with him and smiles deeply, waving gently. His breath catches in his throat and without thought, he's standing next to her.

"Good day, ma'am." He says wistfully with a tip of his hat.

She blushes and snickers, covering her mouth with the tips of her fingers.

"Good day….Jefferson." She locks eyes with him and gives him that seductive smile of hers.

Jefferson feels his legs weaken. He strengthens his resolve and clears his throat. Taking her hand in his and placing a small kiss to the back of her fingers.

"Katarina." He whispers, inhaling her.

She tugs her hand back playfully and gives him another one of her smiles.

"Lovebirds, are you going to buy something this week?" The cart owner implores rudely.

Katarina straightens up and looks him dead in the eyes with a devilish grin.

"Good sir, may I interest you in a riddle in exchange for some of these fine herbs?" She cocks her head to the side. Jefferson stands up straight, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Aye lassy, you know I do love me some of your fine mind benders." The cart owner chuckles and sits back on his stool behind his display. He was balding and had a nasty scar crossing his face, he smiles a gap-toothed smile towards her. He glances to Jefferson and winks in his direction.

Katarina picks up a pinch of green dried leaves and rubs them between her fingers before placing them back in their bin. She brushes her hand off on her skirt and places two fingers to her lips. Looking around the cart as if she were placed on a stage to perform her greatest work. Jefferson smiles and watches her slyly go here and there.

"You know what, I've changed my mind. These are not of proper quality. They are not worth one of my riddles. Maybe next week." She finally says and waves it off to turn and walk away.

The cart owner stands up and leans over his display, calling to her.

"No, no, wait right there lassy. I'm holdin' out on ya. I got somethin' special recently that you might be interested in. Young Jonathon will love it. A bit o' magic it is." He says, reaching below the display to a basket and retrieving a small bundle. He unwraps it and looks up to find her standing in front of the display again peering over to see what's in his hands.

"Thought that might interest ya." He said smugly and handing her a small purple pearl shaped object.

She rolls it over in her hands, examining it. She pinches it between two fingers with no luck. She then rolls it around in one palm creating a cyclone with it.

"You've got me. How does it work?" She asks defeated.

Jefferson leans against the beam of the cart and watches their exchange over the small "bit of magic".

The cart owner swiftly retrieves the pearl from her hand and holds it behind his back while holding up one finger on his other hand.

"Now, now, lassy, you promised me a riddle in return for my goods." He stated playfully.

Jefferson chuckles to himself as he watches Katarina stomp her foot and put her fists to her hips.

"Now, now, dear cart owner, how ever will I be able to tell if your goods are good enough for said riddle." She retorts mockingly.

The cart owner holds her gaze and sighs returning the pearl to her.

"You crush it up. Both hands and then release it with your breath. See what it does. Go on." The cart owner instructs along with miming the instructions.

Katarina smiles curiously and does as he says. She blows on her hands. A pink and purple cloud forms into a small cat, that begins to race around her feet and jump from here to there and finally vanishes off into the wind.

Jefferson looks to her, finding her face lighted up with excitement and a sense of wonder. She shrugs and turns to the cart owner.

"Alright, here it is." She curtsies and receives the package from the cart owner, tucking it into her cloak pocket.

"If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you haven't got me. What am I?" She clasps her hands in front of her, glancing to Jefferson with a glint in her eye.

The cart owner stares at her blankly. He blinks a few times and begins to rub the top of his head in thought. He looks to Jefferson and back to Katarina then to Jefferson again.

"Laddy, got any ideas?" He nods to Jefferson.

Jefferson looks around to see that a crowd has gathered around the cart and are all deep in thought.

He smiles and looks to Katarina.

"A secret of course." Jefferson responds.

Katarina claps in delight and grins wildly. The crowd breaks into chatter and disperse. The cart owner shakes his head and laughs.

"Looks like you've got a keeper there Kat. What else can I get for ya?" The cart owner stands and retrieves small pouches for her selections. She points to a couple of bins and the cart owner hands them over to her. She smiles to him, curtsies and turns to Jefferson.

He smiles and extends his elbow to her to take. She looks to it and smiles, gently wrapping her arm into his.

"Quite extraordinary my lovely Kat." Jefferson nudges her playfully.

She looks up into his eyes and smiles warmly.

"I have a few more things to get if you would like to accompany me, and then maybe, we can go for a walk together, if you'd like." Katarina suggests coyly.

Jefferson pats her hand on his arm gently and smiles down to her, catching her glowing eyes.

"Anything." He whispers.


	5. Chapter 5

The sun begins to set over the hills. The tall grass sways lazily in the breeze. Jefferson watches as Katarina closes her eyes, taking in the warmth of the sun, and the breeze caressing her hair. Her cheeks a soft pink and her lips slightly parted. He feels the warmth rise into his neck. She opens her eyes and smiles to him.

"Don't you just wish you could stop time, and enjoy moments like these for a little bit longer." She says dreamily to him. A small coy smile displayed in her eyes.

Jefferson smiles and nods with a hum of agreement. He looks across the fields, taking in the animation of the land. Katarina grabs his right forearm in the opposite direction, pulling him over the crest of a lonely hill. Below lays a small creek and a single willow tree. She looks over her shoulder to him and then continues to drag him down the hill to the creek.

Katarina kneels down next to the creek and places her slim fingers into the cool water. She cups a little bit of water and pats it on her face and neck. Jefferson decides to take a seat next to the tree, watching her all the while. He removes his hat and places it on the ground next to him.

Jefferson watches her as she spoons up more water in her hands and brings them to her lips, a small dribble running down her chin and then her neck. His face becomes extremely warm and he looks away.

He hears footsteps and then he feels her presence next to him under the tree. She sits down carefully, tucking her skirt under her knees as she sits sideways to look at him and lean against the tree. He looks over to catch her glowing eyes from the sun.

"Are you sure you're not a Princess?" He asks playfully.

She laughs and covers her mouth with the tip of her fingers, looking away.

"No, of course not." She waves off the joke and removes her cloak, placing it beside her. Her hair tumbles over her left shoulder in golden waves.

Jefferson reaches out and gently grasps a lock of her hair, running his fingers over it. Admiring the softness and golden shine to it. The last strand falls from his fingers and he smiles to himself.

"What's so funny Mr. Jefferson?" She inquires playfully.

"I half expected your hair to be of real gold." He responds in turn.

Katarina's cheeks flush bright red and she looks off to the hills further down the creek, covering her lips with her fingertips as usual. Jefferson reaches up and takes her hand in his, away from her lips. She snaps her attention to him abruptly.

"Don't hide your beauty behind your hand my lovely Kat." He says in a whisper.

Her eyes lock with his in astonishment. He releases her hand, where she drops it to her lap. He continues to gaze at her. She looks away and down to her 12 button laced brown boots. She brushes her skirt down at her ankles.

"Tell me Jefferson. What is that you do?" She asks formally. Still looking to the creek.

Jefferson looks to his hat on the left and back to her. He clears his throat, searching for the appropriate words.

"I travel to lands for certain items at a buyer's request. Whatever they seek from another place, I am able to acquire it for them." He responds carefully.

"So you've been to many places then?" She asks excitedly. Looking to him with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Yes, indeed."

"What's it like outside of this place?" She implores, leaning against her hands towards him.

A small smirk plays out onto his lips. He breathes in deeply and looks of into the distance with that million mile stare.

"I assume you've never left here."

Katarina straightens up to lean back on the tree with her right shoulder and places her hands in her lap, turning them over this way and that.

"No, I suppose I haven't."

Jefferson looks to her to see sadness welling up in her eyes. She looks to her boots again and changes her sitting position, drawing her knees up to her chest, straightening out her skirt and wrapping her hands loosely around her knees.

"Tell me Katarina." He responds playfully trying to draw her out of her thoughts.

"What is it that you do?"

Katarina looks at her knees then to him.

"I sell my flowers at the market. And when they're sold, I entertain in return for items." She smiles, but it's not in her eyes.

She stands up slowly, holding her fingers delicately and twisting them slightly, looking off to the sun.

"And where is the rest of your family?" He asks carefully.

She turns and looks down to him slowly.

"Well. I don't know. My mother passed when she gave birth to Jonathon. And after that, I woke up the next morning and my father was gone. He never returned." She stated almost inaudibly.

Jefferson looks away, unable to bear the sight of her sadness. He stands up and touches her elbow, causing her to turn around to face him.

"I'm sorry Kat." He notices a tear streaking down her cheek. He reaches up and gently brushes it away with the back of his fingers.

She grabs his hand, leaning her cheek into it. Jefferson feels as if his heart as stopped and a short moment later begins to beat rapidly again.

"Thank you for your kindness." She says quietly and releases his hand, turning away from him, looking to the hill they clambered down.

"Maybe we should return soon."

Jefferson spins her around to face him, his hand gently placed on her lower back, the other touching her arm.

"Why do you do that?" He inquires seriously. Gazing into her eyes. Searching for the answer.

She blushes and looks down, breaking his gaze. He reaches up and turns her face back to him. Tilting her chin up softly. Running his thumb along her jaw line and then to her hair, brushing it back over her shoulder. Her eyes stare up at him, wide and stunned.

"Please..Jefferson.." She whispers to him.

Coming to his senses, he releases her and steps back, rubbing his chin with his hand and turning away from her to retrieve his hat.

"I'm sorry ma'am." He says flatly, up-righting himself and adorning his hat yet again.

Jefferson feels his hat suddenly come off of his head, he spins around quickly to see that she has it in her hands, holding it by the brim and peering inside of it. Before placing it atop her own head. She drops her hands to her side, slightly lifted as she turns around to look into the creek's reflection of herself. Bending slightly at the waist. Jefferson lunges towards her, grabbing her by the waist and throwing her over his shoulder. She screams playfully and begins to kick slightly.

"Sir! Put me down! Now!" She giggles and pats his back.

He smiles and spins her around. She laughs and slips off of his shoulder in front of him.

"Well, I never." She gasps, slapping his chest softly.

"Ma'am, thievery is greatly frowned upon." He responds, pulling her into his chest.

She looks up to him from under the brim of his hat that she is still wearing. Her eyes displaying that devilish smirk of hers. Jefferson grabs the brim of his hat, removing it from her head. She pushes away from him, biting her lip. She backs away from him and holds up a golden pocket watch. He looks at her astonished and checks his pockets, seeing that the item is truly his.

"Ah and you are well versed in the act I see." He extends his hand, palm up.

She takes the watch into her hands and examines it instead, turning it over. She rubs her fingers on the glass face.

"What is this?" She asks, still looking at the hands of the watch. Jefferson plucks it from her hands and turns it over in his hands, looking at her, searching for the words.

"It's one of those items I told you about, from another land." He says as he closes his fingers over the watch.

"What does it do?" She implores further.

Jefferson looks at his closed fist and then back to her, smiling wryly. He opens up his hand, Katarina instinctively steps by his side, looking at the watch with amazement. He points to the face of it.

"It a time-teller." He states blandly.

"It doesn't seem to be working though." She says quietly.

Jefferson smiles and looks to the watch, the unmoving hands.

"Yes, you're correct. But who's to say that it is or it isn't?" He asks with one raised eyebrow, looking to her.

Katarina steps back and puts her balled fists to her hips, looking at him teasingly.

"Jefferson, are you giving me a riddle of sorts."

He shrugs and pockets the watch, attaching the chain to his vest yet again.

'She's beautiful..' Jefferson thinks to himself. 'In every way possible..'


	6. Chapter 6

Jefferson walks down the path towards his home. The stars gleaming overhead, lighting his way. He looks to his large home to see something move on the porch. He steps quickly behind a tree, removing his hat and peering through the leaves.

A short man stands next to his front door. A bright gleam emits from the mans hand and his front door swings open violently. Jefferson steps through the shadows towards his home. The figure stops in the doorway and steps back out onto the porch.

"Ah there you are Hatter." The voice sounds cheerful and evil all at once.

Jefferson steps out into the moonlight, confronting the figure. The man turns around, his skin glistens with a metallic shine.

"I have a deal for you, an offer you can't refuse!" He states and waggles one finger in the air.

"Rumplestiltskin." Jefferson says while making his way to his front door, he passes by the figure and steps into his home.

All the candles and fireplace light up instantly. Jefferson turns to face Rumplestiltskin, whom smiles devilishy at him. He giggles in a high-pitch tone.

"I would say make yourself at home, but it appears you were going to do that anyways." Jefferson retorts sarcastically.

Rumplestiltskin flourishes his hands out to each side of him and giggles.

"Now, about my deal. Would you like to hear it?" He asks mysteriously.

Jefferson rolls his eyes and scoffs loudly.

"What do you want me to retrieve for you?" Jefferson cuts to the point.

"In exchange for your new love to be rid of her illness, I require—"

"Illness? What illness?!" Jefferson turns and grabs Rumplestiltskin by his shoulders, angrily staring into the man's face.

"Oh, dear, she hasn't told you I presume." He giggles in response.

A loud banging is heard from the door. Jonathon walks into his sister's room quietly and crawls onto her bed. Shaking her arm gently.

"Sissy, sissy, wake up." Jonathon whispers to Katarina.

She opens her eyes reluctantly then comes to full attention at the sound at the front door. She pulls Jonathon up to her and pulls the covers over him whilst getting out of the bed. She puts her index finger to her lips, motioning for him to stay quiet. She crosses to her door way, creeps through the drape concealing their bedrooms and to the kitchen counter, there she grabs her biggest knife and ducks under the window to the doorway. The loud banging continues. She grabs a hold of the deadbolt and pulls on it slowly, not to make a sound. The banging continues. She opens the door a crack and peers out into the darkness.

The figure pushes the door through and enters the home, closing the door behind him.

"Jefferson?! What are you doing? How dare you just barge in here like this!" Katarina exclaims, crossing her arms across her torso. Pulling her sheer red nightgown closer to her.

Jefferson takes the knife from her hands and throws it onto the table, he grabs her by her shoulders, peering into her eyes. She stares back at him, with fear firmly set in her expression. He releases her and turns around, putting his right hand to his hip and his left to rub his chin. He faces the empty fireplace and walks to it, putting wood into the fireplace, taking the flint and pulling out a knife from his boot to spark a fire. He gets the fire started and turns back to Katarina.

She's standing next to the table, with one hand resting on top of the knife she currently was holding. Fear still displayed on her face. Jefferson looks to the drape to see Jonathon peering out through a small section he pushed back.

Jefferson puts a hand to his forehead, shading his eyes. A wave of embarrassment washing over him. He gestures out to Katarina.

"Please, I'm sorry, there's something that we have to discuss." Jefferson says in a hushed tone, "Please attend to Jonathon."

Katarina turns to the drape to see it rustle to the right side, she backs around the table, keeping her eyes on Jefferson and disappears behind the drape. He can hear her whispering to her brother and hushing him back to sleep.

"It's going to be alright. Don't worry. Something is troubling Mr. Jefferson. But I'll take good care of him." She whispers gently to Jonathon.

She gently stands from her bed where Jonathon still lays and backs out of the room to the living room again, appearing through the drape. She turns to face Jefferson, whom is leaning against the hearth over the fireplace. His head resting on his forearm, staring into the fire that was popping and crackling. Katarina clasps her hands in front of her and begins to rub her hands worriedly. Jefferson looks up and turns to her. He crosses to her quickly and takes her into an embrace, holding her head to his chest. She struggles to push away from him. But he holds onto her firmly.

"Please don't Kat. I need to speak to you." He whispers into her ear.

Katarina's body relaxes in his arms and she rests her hands just below his shoulder blades. Worry suddenly replacing her fear. She listens to his heartbeat that's rapidly beating within his chest.

'He's in danger..' She thinks to herself.

She pulls her head back to look into his face, worry invested in his eyes. His blue eyes that reflects the fire dancing. For the first time she feels the warmth from the fireplace on her legs. She pulls away from taking in his whole face, noticing his trembling hands and shoulders. She moves her hands to his arms, trying to still his shaking.

"Sit down Jefferson. Let me make some tea." She says soothingly. Rubbing his arms.

He reluctantly takes a seat at the table, stabilizing himself with the table. He watches move around the room, grabbing a tea kettle and two mismatching cups. She pours some water into the tea kettle and hangs it in the fireplace, where usually the cooking pot is. After a few minutes the water comes to a boil and she removes it from the fireplace, pouring the hot water into a porcelain white tea pot, decorating with flowers. Placing these items on a tray, she carries it to the table and sets it down between them. She pours a cup for Jefferson first and then herself. The tea is a dark brown color, smelling like childhood memories. He takes the cup into his trembling hands, letting the warmth radiate through to his fingers. Katarina cups her hand around one of his on the cup, easing him to set down the cup on the table. He looks from the cup to her face, which is displaying a heartfelt concern. Jefferson let's go of his cup and grabs her hand aggressively, squeezing it in his grasp. His eyes welling up with tears from rage, or fear, or pain, he couldn't discern it. Katarina's lips quiver as she tries to pull her hand away.

"You're hurting me, please Jefferson, stop!" She says, finally pulling her hand away. Her fingers slightly reddened. She begins to rub her hurt hand.

Jefferson slams his fist on the table, causing the tea set to rattle. Katarina stares at him angrily, still holding her hand.

"Do you have something you need to tell me Kat?" Jefferson asks angrily.

Katarina's eyes narrow into a glare, she places her hands on her arms, rubbing to fight off the chill.

"Need to tell you? No. Especially not with the way you're acting. Are you mad? Barging in here, inflicting pain upon me, scaring my poor Jonathon." Katarina hisses back in response.

Jefferson looks to the fireplace, anger dissolving from his face, in return receiving shame. He turns his gaze to the tea cup in front of him. A small bit of steam rising from the tea within. He grasps the cup again, bringing it to his lips. The smell fills his nose and the taste instantly calms his nerves. He places the cup back on the table and returns his eyes to the fireplace.

"Jefferson, what is this about?" Katarina's voice comes to him in a whisper.

He looks at his feet and wipes his chin with his hand.

"I had an employer come to me this evening. In exchange for my services, he offered me a cure." He states flatly.

Katarina shifts uneasily in her chair, taking a swift sip of tea. Jefferson looks up to see her expression to see her gazing out the dark window, into the night, her eyes glossed over.

"For you." He finishes.

Katarina begins to turn her cup in her hands. Her chest heaving for air.

"I…I-I..Jefferson, please.." She fails to bring her mind to words. Tears forming in her eyes, of true sadness and pain.

"So it's true….you're ill….Katarina, please let me help you, I wish you would have told me sooner, I could have—" He stammers.

"Could of what..? Could have gotten a cure for a girl you barely met? Please Jefferson. Just….don't." She replies quickly, cutting him off.

Jefferson stands quickly, turning away from her towards the window. He braces himself against the window pane.

"I must be mad then…" He says under his breath.

"What?"

He turns around and grabs Katarina by her shoulders, pulling her out of her seat, she drops her tea cup and it shatters on the ground. Jefferson pulls her close to him and kisses her on the forehead before releasing her and exiting her home. Leaving the door open behind him, he walks quickly out into the cold night and down the dirt path, clenching his teeth.

"Wait! Jefferson! Wait! Please!" He hears her calling after him, but he doesn't slow his pace.

She begins to run after him, her cold bare feet hitting the ground painfully. She stumbles and falls to her hands and knees behind him. She begins to cough hoarsely, bringing her hand to her mouth. Jefferson turns around quickly to see her collapsed on the dirt path. He runs to her and drops to his knees, taking her by the wrists, looking at her palm. A black liquid splatters her palm. His hands begin to shake, he looks to her face to see some of the black liquid on the corner of her mouth. He wipes it away quickly with his thumb.

"Sissy?" Jonathon calls from the doorway.

Jefferson scoops her up into his arms bridal style and carries her back to the house hurriedly. Jonathon takes in the sight and ushers Jefferson to the bedroom, motioning for him to place her on her bed. Jefferson places her down lightly on her bed and pulls the covers over her, rubbing her arms to warm her. Jonathon rushes out of the room and into the kitchen, Jefferson can hear him clanking things around, opening jars.

Jefferson looks around the room, ending his search on her side table. There lay a white cloth splattered with the same black liquid and brown jars filled with dried herbs. He picks up the jar and opens it, inside is a purple flower, dried, but the petals still had some shine to them. He closes his eyes, remembering the herbs she was looking at the day that he introduced himself to her. He returns the flower to the jar and places it back on the side table. He then picks up the white cloth and closes his fingers around it. Katarina begins to start coughing again, turning to her side, coughing into her hand. Jonathon comes racing into the room with a large bowl filled with steaming water and more white cloth as well as a cup of a sludgy green liquid. He shoves the things on the side table aside and places the basin on it. He rips the white cloth with his teeth and hands one cloth to Katarina. Jefferson stands from her bedside and backs up to the doorway, watching Jonathon methodically tend to his sister. He dips the other white cloth in the basin and begins to wipe at her face and arms, his hands are shaking. Jefferson steps forward and takes the cloth from Jonathon's hands and continues the task. Jonathon moves on to the sludgy drink, he grabs up a brown jar, opening it and throwing in one flower. It sets fire in the drink and melts into, changing the drink to a bright purple. Jonathon struggles to lift Katarina's head up, his hand shaking with the purple elixir. Jefferson places his hand behind her head and lifts her up, taking the elixir from Jonathon's hand.

"Make sure she drinks all of it." Jonathon says sternly.

Jefferson brings the cup to her lips and tilts it slightly. She groans and tries to turn her face away. Jefferson scoots in closer to her, resting her cheek against his chest and places the cup to her lips again, tilting it again.

"It'll make you better. Please drink it." Jefferson says calmly to her. She raises her hand weakly to the cup.

Jefferson holds her up higher and tilts the cup further, until she empties it. He takes the sleeve of his shirt and wipes the corner of her mouth. She opens her eyes to look up to him. Her eyes whitened over, appearing as if she is dead, returning to its regular hazel color. She exhales deeply and turns her face into his chest. After several moments he lays her down on the bed. He removes himself from her side and begins to collect the items used to take them to the kitchen.

"Thank you.." Jonathon meekly says, as he too begins to collect items from her side table.

Jefferson picks up the water basin and looks down to the boy.

"I'm going away for a little while. But when I get back, I'll be able to fix this.." Jefferson says quietly.


	7. Chapter 7

"Rumple." Jefferson hisses into the dark night. His breath seen in the cold air.

"Reconsidered my offer deary?"

Jefferson cocks his head to the left, Rumplestiltskin standing behind him. He places his hand on Jefferson's shoulder.

"I need you to go here, and retrieve these items for me." Rumple hands a piece of paper to Jefferson, walking around to meet him full on. "Only then will you have earned your miracle cure for your sweet…"

"Kat." He finishes and giggles.

Jefferson opens the folded paper and holds it further away from his face.

"Oz…great. I always enjoy visiting that witch." Jefferson says, looking up from the paper to see that Rumple has vanished.

"Figures."

He turns around and looks at the cottage one last time before making his way to his home.

"All I have to do is retrieve my hat, and change." Jefferson looks to his sleeve where the purple elixir stain remains.

"He will come back."

Katarina looks up from her place amongst her flowers to her little brother. He's standing next to her with a stick in his hand. She looks back to her basket of flowers she's collected for the market. And then she looks to the dirt path leading to town. The breeze picking up a few strands of her hair.

"I need you to stay with your friend for a couple of days. I have something that I need to do." Katarina says without looking to Jonathon.

Jonathon shifts his weight to his left side and twirls the stick in his hands. He looks to the path leading past their home.

"What do you need to do sissy?" He asks absently, still looking to the path, then back to her where she's knelt down in her garden.

She doesn't respond, still looking to the dirt path leading to the town. She looks back to her basket and stands upright. She turns to Jonathon and smiles to him, placing her hand on his cheek.

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon." She says warmly.

Jonathon smiles in return and goes into the cottage to gather his things. Katarina looks back to the dirt path, her eyes glossed over.


	8. Chapter 8

"Ah Katarina, here to sell your beautiful flowers again." A large cart owner leans over his display looking to cat. His mustache was abnormally long and his face round and warm. She tilts her sun hat to him and continues on her way.

She comes to a cart where a woman is selling jewelry made from stones of the earth. Her eyes light up at the sight of Katarina and she stands up excitedly. Katarina lifts her large basket of flowers and smiles to her.

"Oh darling I didn't know if you were going to come today. It's so good to see you. How much for the flowers today?" The woman behind the cart walks around her display and to Katarina, she's almost as tall as her cart, and skin the color of molten chocolate. Her head is wrapped up in a colorful scarf.

Katarina places the flower basket on the display shelf and removes her sun hat before being swept up into a hug from the cart owner.

"Just five silvers today." Katarina says modestly and offers the hat to the tall woman.

The woman eyes the hat and takes it slowly, turning it this way and that, looking at the stitching and the fabric.

"Darling, you made this?" She asks, while adorning the new hat atop her scarf wrapped head.

Katarina glances at the hat. The fabric is a dark black with silver shining leaves embroidered on it in the royal fashion. The brim two hands in length with a curve to shade the eyes properly.

"Yes. I recently found a calling for fashion." She responds softly, brushing her fingers over the petals of her sold flowers. "I made that for you. For your travels."

The cart owner removes the hat and looks it over again, on her lips forms a large grin, revealing her perfectly titanium white teeth, but her left canine being gold. She hugs the hat to herself and then wraps Katarina in another hug.

"I love it. Thank you." The woman says, removing her scarf and replacing it with her new hat. Releasing her long white hair that reaches her lower back.

"It's perfect on you Lily." Katarina says, admiring the new accessory atop her friend's head.

Lily smiles again and twirls around dramatically, showing off her new style. She reaches behind her display, pulling a small brown pouch out and hands it to Katarina. Katarina weighs the bag in her hand and becomes confused. She opens the pouch to reveal that it is full of gold. She closes it quickly and hands it back to Lily.

"That's the wrong pouch Lily." She states nervously.

Lily pushes the pouch back towards her and shakes her head.

"No, it's not." She smiles and turns away from her and returns to her display, now arranging the flowers in bundles along the side.

Katarina holds the pouch in her hands a moment longer before placing it in her cloak pocket.

"Thank you Lily."

The cart owner looks up from her work and smiles.

"No darling. Thank you."

Katarina turns away from the stand and looks across the market to the herbs stand. People are bustling here and there, it's a busy day. By the stand she glimpses a top hat. Her heart skips a beat in her chest, she's suddenly hurrying towards the cart, navigating her way through the crowd. She breaks through the last crowd to find the cart with no one standing in front of it or next to it. She spins around searching the crowd.

"He didn't come today lassy." The bald cart owner says informatively behind her.

She casts her eyes downward and turns towards the cart. Placing her hands on the shelf in front of the display. Absently staring at the herbs.

"Any riddles for me today lassy?"

Katarina looks up from the herbs and shakes her head sullenly.

"Not feelin' well?" He implores in a hushed tone.

She nods her head again. Her chest is burning. She looks over her shoulder again, searching the crowd.

"Kat. Here. I prepared your usual."

She turns around to a bundle of pouches in her face. She grabs them meekly and looks at them in her hands.

"Owen. I'm going to be needing the seeds soon." She states quietly, looking up at the cart owner.

He raises an eyebrow and uncrosses his arms from his chest and leans closer, squinting his eyes.

"Give me two weeks. I'll get them for you." Owen counts on his fingers.

Katarina pockets the pouches and pulls out her coin pouch. Owen sticks out his hand towards her and shakes his head.

"Not today lass." Owen shakes his head.

"Owen, do I look sick today?" She asks sadly.

He shakes his head again, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You're lookin' a bit sad though. Which is usually a sign."

Katarina looks over her shoulder again, searching the crowd. She turns back to Owen.

"Can I ask you something.." She whispers, leaning over the display. Owen takes the hint and leans closer to her.

"Do you know where the man with top hat is?" She asks nervously.

Owen sighs and leans back in his chair. He begins to rub his balding head. Katarina searches his face for any sign. He crosses his arms over his chest again, looking around before returning his gaze to her.

"Yes."

"Can you tell me?" She lurches over the display, almost tipping it.

Owen shakes his head, then nods his head in the direction behind her. She straightens out and looks over her shoulder to the dark cart. It's heavily draped with a sparkling fabric, with a flap as an entrance. She snaps her look back to Owen and he nods again. She nods her head to Owen and practically runs to the dark cart. She stops right before the entrance, breathing in deeply. She places her hand on the flap and exhales before stepping in.

"Welcome…deary. What can I help you with?" His shrill voice comes from a dark corner.

The figure stands and steps towards her. His hood is pulled up, covering his eyes. Katarina clasps her hands in front of her, rubbing them nervously. She bends slightly at the waist, trying to look at the man's face but he looks to the side. She straightens up, her hands still clasped together.

"I need to locate someone." She says in a hushed voice.

She hears a 'tssking' sound come from the man.

"Man run away on ya deary?" He inquires teasingly.

She clears her throat and looks to the flap doorway. She strengthens her resolve and looks back to the merchant. She nods absently, looking to the shadowed face. She sees a slight glimmer from his cheek as he casts a wide grin. He puts his finger in the air and leans forward slightly.

"Do you have something of his?" He asks, reaching out his hand, palm up.

Katarina looks to the upturned hand, the nails are long and browning and the skin shimmers with gold flake. She steps back slightly, shaking her head.

"No, no I don't. Is it necessary?" She asks more timidly.

The man curls his fingers in one at a time and turns around to his corner, he flourishes his hand a crystal ball appears, looking like smoke is swirling around on the inside.

"You're in luck deary. I just came by this item and it will show you whom you seek." He holds out the ball to her, before she takes a hold of it, he withdraws it slightly out of her reach. "But it comes with a price."

Katarina pulls out her gold pouch quickly and offers it to him. He waves his empty hand at her.

"Oh no no. Let's make a deal." He sneers.

Katarina returns her gold pouch and looks to the doorflap again and back to the crystal ball in his hands. She allows her mind to wander and notices the ball starting to glow brightly. It lights up the man's face, revealing that same gold shimmer skin, and the most frightening eyes she's ever seen. She retracts from him in fear as she covers her mouth with her hand, trying to contain her gasp. The man tosses the ball from hand to hand making a clucking sound. He turns around and places it back in his dark corner.

"I know whom you're searching for. And sadly I cannot help you." The man says annoyed.

Katarina turns towards the doorflap, her fingers on the edge. Her body trembling with fear.

"He…He works for you…doesn't he.." She manages to stammer out, looking over her shoulder slightly.

"Didn't you hear me, deary. I cannot help you." He says with the perk to his voice returning.

She turns towards the man again, her hand still on the doorflap. Making a slight step forward, she reaches for the sleeve of his attire. He steps away from her, his back still turned.

"Oh you don't want to be doing that."

Katarina turns and steps halfway through the doorflap, looking back once more.

"Are you..the dark one? Are you Rumplestiltskin?" She gathers her courage at the end of her questions.

He spins around eccentrically and bows slightly.

"The one and only." He responds with his arms spread out to his sides.

She exits the cart and hurriedly walks away, picking up her skirts as she goes. She bumps into a tall man and falls down onto her hands and knees. She stares at the dirt ground for a long time, she can hear murmuring and commotion around her. The man that she bumped into kneels down and places his hand in the crook of her elbow. Katarina snaps out of her trance and accepts his assistance up. Without looking to him, she nods her head in thanks and hurries off again towards the dark forest path.

Without realizing it, she ventures off of the path and into the tall redwoods. Green fern and mushrooms surround her. Fallen leaves and trees are mulching around her, causing the air to smell clean and of mildew. She clambers over a fallen log, her skirt catching on a large splinter, ripping it harshly. Not realizing that snag, she falls to the ground.

'I can't stop shaking.' She thinks to herself. 'It's so cold..'

With her face pressed to the damp ground she stares off at a red fern a few feet from her. She feels her heart beating rapidly in her chest. Her breath staggers, leaving a mist rising from her slightly parted lips. She shivers violently, feeling the cold seeping into her body from the forest floor.

_Snap_

Her eyebrows furrow at the break in the silence of the forest. Confused but dazed she doesn't think anything of it. A sudden gush of air washes over her. She adjusts her gaze to in front of her to see a purple black cyclone dissipating. A man in a dark overcoat with black shiny collaring stands before her with his back to her. He leans down as if retrieving something he's dropped, straightening out, and placing a top hat on his head. Her eyes go wide and out of impulse she rolls over into a largely overgrown bush with brown tipped leaves. Pulling her hood over her head, she holds her breath.

'I made too much noise, he knows I'm here.' She thinks to herself, closing her eyes tightly, tucking her hands underneath her.

She hears footsteps against the forest floor, growing increasingly louder. She turns her face away further into the plant, still holding her breath.

"Rumple?" She hears his voice. Jefferson's voice.

"Over here Hatter." Rumple's voice comes from a distance.

She hears another twig snapping and then hesitant steps in the opposite direction of her. She lets out her held breath slowly and turns her face towards the direction. Through the trees she can see Rumple's face. He's missing his dark hooded cloak but wearing an outfit made out of what seems to be a reptiles skin. He turns his head slightly towards her and gives her a small wink. Katarina feels her stomach lurching.

"I've returned the Doctor to his home. Now, the cure you promised." She hears Jefferson say.

Rumple giggles and takes a stride to his right, Jefferson's left.

"The cure is simple, deary." Rumple states playfully. He walks out of view of Katarina, behind a redwood tree.

"Though I feel that our deal is compromised, suddenly." Rumple continues.

Jefferson shifts uncomfortably and cocks his head to the side. He rolls his head back into position and takes a step over a plant to a rock on a slope. He flaps his coat out and turns, taking a seat on the rock. He props up his right foot on a log and leans his elbow on his knee, placing his hand under his chin. He pulls his brown satchel from behind him into his lap, peering into it.

"Well that truly is a shame. Being a man of travels, I seem to have come by something that you previously requested and I failed to obtain. But if our deal is as you say 'compromised'.." He pauses and makes a sarcastic pout to Rumple. "Then I guess there's no reason for me to be a proper gentleman to give it to you. Suppose I'll go sell it to the next highest bidder. Maybe they'll have a cure for me." He finishes, throwing his hands up to either side of his face. Then returning to leaning his elbow on his knee.

Rumple turns to him intrigued, and annoyed.

"Hatter. Let me be more clear. Our deal is compromised, but not between us. I feel that you might run into some complications to have your sweet receive the cure." He sneers.

Jefferson's face contorts into a rage. Sitting up slowly.

"I'm not sure I understand your meaning." Jefferson squints his eyes to Rumple.

Rumple steps into view of Katarina, he glances to her and then back to Jefferson. Jefferson catches this action and looks in the direction where Rumple glanced. He searches through the trees, trying to see something. He looks back to Rumple, whom is pointing down at the ground.

"You see, the cure, it is not something I can give you. It's just the most powerful and magic not of my abilities." He giggles, stepping one foot over the other. He flourishes his hands in front of him, as if displaying something invisible. "The cure is as old as time."

Katarina watches Rumple intently. Jefferson coming to a slow stand.

"True loves kiss, of course." Rumple says in a high pitch tone, almost a yell, it echoes off of the trees.

Katarina feels her body flush warmly. She sees Jefferson smile widely and touch his index finger to the brim of his hat in a salute to Rumple. Her eyes begin to sting, her stomach forming into a knot.

'I have to get out of here. I have to run. He's evil. He's dark.' She frantically thinks to herself.

Jefferson reaches into his satchel and retrieves a rolled piece of parchment. Rumple takes it intrigued and unrolls it delicately. He smiles and places it carefully into his vest.

'Run…now…RUN!' Katarina panics, jumping from the bushes and running to her left, back to where she thought she came from. Her heartbeat now thundering in her ears. Her breathing becoming haggard.

She scrambles through the trees, the further she goes, the thicker the forest becomes, and darker. She stumbles over something unseen but she regains her composure before falling to the ground again, her cloak flying wildly behind her.

"STOP!"

Katarina dodges behind a tree, with her back to it.

"Don't come any closer." She threatens with a shaking voice.

Silence only follows. She tries to focus on her surroundings, but can't concentrate on anything with the sound of her heart flooding her ears. She kneels down, pulling her hood further down her face, shaking violently. Something touches her elbow softly, she jerks her head up to meet those terrifying eyes again. He motions for her to be silent. Katarina hears footsteps right next to her. She looks over abruptly to see Jefferson standing next to her, searching through the trees. Her eyes gone wide with fright. She covers her mouth with her hands, containing the screams she wants to release. She looks away from him to where Rumple was and sees that he's gone. She can feel a sob rising in her chest. Surprisingly she hears the footsteps growing distant. She slowly turns to look to Jefferson, to see that he's passed her and furthered his search beyond her. She curls further into herself, burying her face in her hands against her knees.

"Kat..? Please…" She hears him say into the nothingness of the forest.

'Please get me out of here, please just get me out of here.' She desperately pleads to herself.

"It comes at a price, deary." Rumple's voice comes to her on the wind.

She curls further into herself and begins silently sobbing. She shakes her head into her knees.

'No.' She think suddenly.

"Kat?! Come out! Please. Don't do this." Jefferson calls out again, this time much closer.

Her body shakes from the intensity in his voice. She shakes her head into her knees again.

'OKAY! ANYTHING!' She yells in her thoughts.

Sound returns to her, there's people all around her, chattering. She lifts her head to see a candle lit tavern. She peeks from under her hood to the patrons. Her eyes catch on a man with dark hair and dark scruff. He catches her gaze and she sees his dark blue eyes. He lifts a hook to his chin, not breaking his stare. She breaks the locked eyes and stands quickly. She looks around for the exit and spots a door at the far end. Briskly walking around the table she starts for the door. A hand grabs her by the wrist. She looks back to see the man with hook hand has a hold of her.

"You look a bit lost, love." He smiles seductively up at her.

She wrenches her hand from his grasp and glares at him, before returning to her task to leave.

"Wait, wait." The man says and comes to a stand behind her, pinching his bottom lip with his thumb and index finger.

Katarina stops and looks over her shoulder to him.

"Come, take a seat, have a drink with me." He offers with charm, gesturing to the table.

She turns around and crosses her arms over her chest. She glares at him deeply. The man places his hook to his chest.

"Cross my heart, I mean no harm." He says with a smile.

She shakes her head in frustration. "Not interested, sir. Please now, leave me be." She says flatly and turns around to exit the door. She steps through, out into the night. The door closing heavily behind her. She peers up at the sky, looking to the stars. She drops her hands to her side, defeated.


	9. Chapter 9

"RUMPLE! RUUMPPLEEE!" Jefferson screams into the darkness of the forest.

"You knew she was there! COME OUT YOU COWARD!" He continues on in his anger, walking around in a circle.

Jefferson continues to pace angrily before slumping down on a fallen log, his fists clenched, causing his knuckles to turn white. He rips his hat off of his head by the brim, he glares into, twisting the brim in his hands. He throws his hat off in front of him, standing up furiously, placing one hand on his hip and the other to rub the scruff across his cheek. He continues his pacing.

"You called for me, Hatter?"

Jefferson spins around in a torrent of rage, his eyes ablaze. He points at Rumple towards his face.

"You knew!" He growls to Rumplestiltskin. He turns away returning to his angry pace and rubbing his face.

Rumple clasps his hands in front of him, loosely hanging his arms. Jefferson turns back to him, his hand resting at his chin. Rumple does a hop step and sways his arms out to either side of him.

"She was the one to come to me. Searching for you. But unexpectedly, she found you anyways, after I refused to help her. It's a pity how fate works, don'tcha think, deary?" He says, taunting Jefferson.

Jefferson rolls his eyes and throws his hands up, dropping them to his side, then placing them on each hip, looking back to Rumple.

"Why do I find that hard to believe?" Jefferson sneers through gritted teeth, glaring into Rumplestiltskin's evil eyes.

Rumple shrugs and crosses his arms over his chest, he takes three steps to his right and then stops. Raising one finger in the air.

"Care to make a deal?" He implores playfully.

Jefferson looks up in frustration, grinding his teeth.

"Why not, what do you need? What else could you possibly want?" Jefferson replies angrily.

"When the Queen comes to you, do whatever it is that she asks. That's all. Just a promise to a job offer." Rumple says humbly.

"JUST BRING HER BACK!" Jefferson yells to him.

"Coming right up!" Rumple says, throwing his hands into that position as if he's presenting something.

Jefferson rubs one hand down his face and looks to where Rumple was standing, but seems to have disappeared. He angrily throws his hands in front of him, slapping them to his sides. He stomps over to his hat and picks it up hastily. Pacing back and forth.

"Change of plans, deary."

Katarina turns around in the cobble stone street outside of the tavern, to face Rumplestiltskin. She turns away from him quickly, breaking into a run towards the town exit. Rumplestiltskin appears before her.

"Not so fast." He puts one hand up in front of him, barely touching her forehead. She freezes instantly with a purple shimmer enveloping her. Her eyes shift nervously.

"See, I made another deal to bring you home. And that I shall. But first you have to do something for me." Rumple says enthusiastically as he walks around the frozen Katarina. "This won't hurt at all." He whispers over her shoulder into her ear.

He thrusts his hand into her back, pulling out a glowing heart, it's beat is rapid. He turns it over in his hand to reveal a crack at the top. He smiles to himself and waves his hand over it. A silver string elevates up from it, he pulls a glass vial from his vest and opens the stopper one-handed, the string flows into it and coils at the bottom. He replaces her heart without removing his eyes from the vial and closes it with his now free hand.

"Consider your debt repaid, deary. Now. Back home you go." He says darkly, snapping his fingers. She disappears with a small pop.

"CROCODILE!"

Rumple turns to the voice.


	10. Chapter 10

Katarina feels a suction through her chest and the world blacks out and reappears, her muscles won't move. She tries to scream but nothing happens. Suddenly she falls forward, she catches herself on a nearby tree. She looks around wildly. She's on a dirt path, with tall trees lining the way. She hoists herself up with the assistance of the tree and looks down to her skirt, catching her breath.

"Kat?"

She snaps around quickly, her hands clutching her cloak. A tall slender figure stands a few feet away, a cart behind it, drawn up by a horse. The horse whinnies and stamps a hoof in the dirt. The figure steps forward into the moonlight.

"Oh Lily, please you have to help me get away from here. Please..please." Katarina lurches forward grabbing her tall friend's forearms.

Lily stares into her crazy eyes, seeing the panic in them. She pulls her into an embrace and brushes her hair down with her long fingers.

"Darling, it's going to be alright." Lily reassures her. "It so happens this gentleman was looking for you as well." She releases Kat and turns to the side, gesturing to behind her cart.

A tall man steps out from behind the cart, his hands clasped behind his back, holding a top hat. Katarina panics and grabs her friend's arms again shaking her head.

"NO, no no, please. Help me." Katarina whispers, pleading to Lily, staring her in the eyes.

Jefferson lunges forward grabbing Katarina by her arm and pulling her to him, he throws down his hat quickly, where it begins to spin. A purple cyclone forms and grows, Jefferson pulls her into the vortex. Katarina looks back to Lily as she falls, the sight of her being swallowed up by the purple cloud. All noise stops, and they come to a landing, Jefferson steadying her with his hand on her lower back. She pushes against his chest as hard as she can and steps back hastily. Jefferson raises his hands to shoulder height and steps to turn around, facing away from her, unable to see her face contorted into such fear and anger. Katarina picks up her skirt at the knee and turns around, ready to run, only to come to face a wall of differently decorated doors. She whirls around, examining the circle shaped room. She stops her gaze on Jefferson, whom is leaning against a wall with his arms and legs crossed.

"Why are you doing this?!" She pleads at him, dropping her grip on her skirts, balling her fists and bringing them to hide her face.

Jefferson looks up with his eyes at her, not moving. He screws his mouth to one side then brings himself to a stand, he begins to saunter over to her. He brings his hands to clasp each side of his open overcoat. Katarina sinks down to a standing sit, opening her hands against her face, covering her eyes. Jefferson stops in front of her with one loud heavy step.

"I see that we need to talk." Jefferson states as he looks up to one of the doors. A firmness set in his voice.

She stands up furiously and pushes against his chest, pushing him backwards with each hit. He places his hands on each of her arms, looking at her astonished.

"You're a monster! An. Evil. Loathing. Monster!" She says with each hit.

She grabs him by the maroon scarf that's wrapped around his neck and tugs on it, causing him to lean forward to stare into her eyes. Her eyes ablaze, causing them to look more red than gold.

"Is this all a game to you? What pawn am I for you to use at your expense." She hisses through gritted teeth, her soft dusty rose lips trembling.

Jefferson looks her face up and down and finally resting his gaze on her trembling mouth. He blinks multiple times and looks to her eyes, seeing tears of rage streaming out of them. He tries to straighten up, being stopped by her grasp on his scarf.

"This is no game." Jefferson responds in a hushed voice.

Katarina searches his eyes for any truth in them. She releases his scarf and turns away from him, crossing her arms to hold herself. She begins to step away from him, and looks to her left, showing him the side of her face.

"You're employed by the Dark One?" She asks quietly. A shiver dancing up her spine, she shrugs it off, a dull ache in her back.

"No. No. That's not how it works." He states and steps forward, extending an explaining hand. He drops his hand to his side and looks down before turning sideways to stare at the many doors. His eyes resting on an emerald door with gold handles and framework. He shakes his head and nervously chuckles to himself before spinning around to face her turned face. She keeps her eyes locked on the floor. He raises his hands to clasp each side of his overcoat.

Katarina flicks her eyes up at him, her expression still smoldering.

"Then what is it like..Hatter?" She growls at him.

Jefferson screws up his face and turns away angrily.

"Anyone can ask me to go to another land for something, at the right price, because there is a price indeed." He states poetically before turning around to her again.

She looks away from him, still at the ground.

"Please, Kat, what do you want me to say?" He says frustrated throwing his hands out to each side of him before dropping them to slap against his thighs.

She turns on one foot to face him, dropping her hands to her side, balling her fingers into fists.

"THE TRUTH!"

"I AM TELLING THE TRUTH!" Jefferson yells back at her.

Katarina steps back from him, startled by his outburst. She looks away to what appears to be a mirror. Her eyes glazing over.

Jefferson turns to look in the direction she is staring. He grabs her by her elbow and leads her reluctant form to the mirror. She wrenches her arm away from him and steps back. He regains his grip on her arm and steps through the mirror like water, pulling her with him. The sunlight blinds her momentarily, she stops in her tracks, shading her eyes with one hand.

He releases her arm gently and straightens out his scarf on his neck before clasping his hands in front of him. Katarina's eyes adjust to the bright lighting and she looks around in a daze. The grass petals are taller than she and thicker as well. Giant toadstools line a brown textured tiled path.

"What is this Jefferson.." She says blankly.

Jefferson waves his hand, palm up to the scenery ahead to rolling hills, toadstools and tall grass of bright colors. "This is Wonderland…one of the places I go to retrieve items for clients."


	11. Chapter 11

Katarina lies in the middle of the flowers, that are singing lovely songs about themselves to her. She giggles and touches the petals of each of them. Examining their texture and shine, enjoying their happy faces in the sun. She rolls over onto her stomach in the clearing and admires a yellow poppy flower, the flower perks up at her touch and admiration. The flowers begin to argue whom is the prettiest, and whom she likes best. Katarina laughs and looks around her at all of the flowers.

"Oh, I could never decide, you're all so beautiful, and I surely do like every one of you." She says in response.

"Well good thing she isn't a weed. Grotesque little infestations." A purple morning glory says matter-o-factly.

Katarina giggles and places one of her hands over her mouth.

Jefferson watches her, smiling to himself, as he leans against a tree for the shade. His arms crossed over his chest, holding Katarina's blue cloak. He looks down to his feet where she removed her boots and set them down to be able to tip-toe through the tulips, literally.

"OH! And don't get me started on those little fakers! Dandelions!" A tulip perks up to add into the conversation.

The flowers all burst into loud chatter, agreeing. Katarina smiles and looks around at all of the flowers.

"They make a decent salad though." She says sheepishly, shrugging slightly.

The flowers all quiet down and look to each other.

"Well good! Stops them from invading our home with their treachery." The purple morning glory says.

Katarina giggles and gently touches the petals of the morning glory. The flower stretches into her hand with contentment.

Jefferson looks to the sky and reaches into his pocket, pulling forth his watch, checking the time. The hands ticking methodically. He looks to Katarina as he places his pocket watch in it's proper place in his black vest. He stands up from leaning on the tree and bends to retrieve her boots, straightening up he clears his throat gently. She looks over her shoulder to him abruptly.

"I hate to break this up, but we have another engagement to attend to, ladies." Jefferson explains to the flowers, swaying his free arm out to the side of him.

Katarina looks back to the flowers and whispers something to them.

"EVIL?!" A primrose exclaims, an orchid shushes her immediately and the flowers begin to whisper amongst themselves.

Katarina stands up slowly and waves to her friends.

"Don't you hurt her!" The morning glory yells to Jefferson.

Jefferson screws up his mouth to the side as his shoulders slump slightly. Katarina looks over her shoulder to the flowers with a glint in her eyes.

"It truly was lovely meeting all of you." She says politely.

She makes her way over to Jefferson out of the flower patch, he hands her boots to her and holds his elbow out for her to stabilize herself. She takes her boots and looks at his extended arm and decides to sit down on the shady patch of grass to put on her boots, lacing them up slowly. Jefferson drops his arm and stares down at her. She helps herself up and holds out her hand to retrieve her cloak from him. He hands it over reluctantly.

"I'm evil am I?" He asks formally, adjusting his vest and grasping the sides to his overcoat.

Katarina shrugs and folds her cloak over her arm, crossing them over her abdomen, hanging casually.

"So evil to take you to a patch of talking and singing flowers, knowing how much you enjoy flowers." He continues on.

She looks over to him glaring. Pursing her lips she looks to the tiled path at her feet. He sighs and offers his elbow to her again. She looks to him and then to his arm and softly wraps her arm around his. Placing her hand flat on her stomach. He turns around towards the opposite direction of the looking glass. She looks over her shoulder back to the path and then up to him.

"Where are you taking me Mr. Hatter?" She implores stiffly.

"Oh I thought because I'm such an evil man, because that must be what I am, that I would take you to a most luxurious tea party." He states grandly, rubbing the stubble on his chin.

She looks back to the path and then ahead of them.

"What if I don't wish to go?" She asks wryly.

Jefferson shrugs and drops her arm, gesturing back to the looking glass door.

"By all means, go on ahead." He says with a seductive smirk.

Katarina picks up her tattered skirt at the knee and turns towards the exit of Wonderland. Jefferson chuckles to himself, placing both hands on his hips.

"Oh but there's one small detail I seem to have forgotten until this very moment." He says tauntingly to her.

She turns around and looks him in the eyes, her face suddenly sunken and full of defeat.

"See the thing is that, same amount of people that go through have to come back. No more, no less. Hat's rules. Not mine." He raises his hands to either side of him in an apologetic manner with a smirk on his face.

Katarina's shoulders sink as she turns back to him and stops beside him. Jefferson looks down at her and feels a small twinge of pain surge through him. He offers his arm to her again, she takes it defeated.

"Indulge me Kat. I promise you'll enjoy yourself." He says quietly to her. She doesn't respond but reaches up to her cheek and wipes away something unseen.

His heart drops in his chest and he inhales deeply, straightening up he begins to lead her down the path. She follows along with him, not saying a word. Half way through his stride he stops, pulling her to a stop. She turns and looks up at him sullenly. Releasing her arm, he looks up to the sky and away from her.

"Kat…" He says sadly, "Please, let me show you differently than what you've come to believe, a misconception."

"How do I know that this all isn't an act?" She asks softly.

Jefferson looks back to her, hearing the old Kat in her tone. He steps forward, his face inches away from hers. He gently touches her hand by her side and leads it up to eye level, gently tracing her fingers with his. She looks over to her hand and his, caressing hers. Jefferson reaches up with his free hand to turn her face back to his, by her chin with one finger. She searches his icy blue eyes, he traces his fingers along her jaw, cupping her cheek. She leans her cheek into and reaches up to place her hand over his.

"I could never be false with you." Jefferson whispers, gently leaning his forehead to hers.

She closes her eyes and bites her bottom lip. She pulls his hand away from her face and drops her other hand to her side.

"I don't trust you. I'm sorry." She whispers in return, opening her sullen hazel eyes.

Jefferson sighs and steps back from her, looking down to their feet.

"Please let me take to you the Hare." He says quietly, not looking from his feet.

"Hare?" She asks intrigued.

He looks up to match her eyes and sees a hint of excitement in her golden eyes, he smiles modestly and offers his arm to her again, sheepishly. She takes it in wonderment, he pulls her along the path again, a smile still on his lips. He begins to hurry along, slightly dragging her.

"Jefferson! Slow down!" She manages to giggle out.

He looks back to her and winks.


	12. Chapter 12

Jefferson stops before the looking glass door. He looks back to Katarina, she has her hands clasped together at the height of her heart. She peers at the looking glass nervously. Jefferson holds out her hand to her. She steps absently towards him, still looking to the mirror. She takes his hand delicately.

"Don't worry. We'll go together." He says quietly to her.

She looks to his face, a bit of worry in her eyes. She intertwines her fingers through his and stops next to him. Inches away from the door, she inhales deeply and exhales through her dusty rose lips. Jefferson looks to their hands and feels a warm flush wash over him.

"Did you have fun today?" He whispers into her ear.

She looks down at her feet and smiles, looking back to him.

"Yes." She responds warmly.

Jefferson smiles deeply, he can feel it through to his bones and steps into the doorway, pulling her gently along with him. A purple cloud envelopes them and pulls them upwards in a spiral. Jefferson pulls Katarina into his chest and holds her with his hand on her lower back. They gently land on solid ground and the cloud dissipates around them. Jefferson looks down to the top of her head, feeling her fingers still tightly holding his. He rubs her lower back slightly. She looks up to him and steps away quickly, releasing his hand. She looks around almost automatically, recognizing the woods around her.

"Let's get you cleaned up and well rested…how are you feeling today..?" He asks worried.

Katarina looks down at her torn and dirtied skirt, pulling it up slightly to examine her knee, it has old and crusted blood to it, she drops her skirt quickly and looks up to him.

"I could use some cleaning up and rest." She says meekly.

Jefferson feels his cheeks burning, having seen her bare skin unexpectedly. He gestures to the dirt road ahead of them, looking away from her. She looks in the opposite direction and goes to point.

"But I live that way." She says shyly.

Jefferson clears his throat and pulls at his scarf around his neck.

"That's about a days journey, I have a more immediate solution." He states briskly.

He begins to walk casually in the direction that he gestured to previously. Katarina hurries along and catches up to him, wrapping her hand around his arm. They round a corner to see a large white house with black tiled roof and a black door. The house is completely shadowed by trees. Two pillars stand to either side of the door, framing a large porch with a rocking chair and a small table. She stops in her tracks and looks up to the tall house. Jefferson stops and looks to her.

"What is it?" Jefferson asks worried.

"Is…is this..your home?" She stammers out quietly.

He looks back to the house and then to her, looking down to his feet and closing his eyes for a moment. He looks back to her.

"Yes…it is." He reassures.

Katarina drops her arms to her sides and walks up slowly into the yard, looking up and around at everything, her mouth slightly agape.

"It's beautiful, Jefferson. I've never seen anything so grand." She says in astonishment, she looks down to her dirtied and tattered clothing again and back to him, shame displayed on her face.

Jefferson rushes forward, cupping her face with his hands.

"No, no, please don't do that. Please. Let me just share this with you. You don't have to feel anything at all." He whispers to her, leaning his forehead to hers, closing his eyes.

Kat shakes her head slightly and closes her eyes, reaching up to hold his hands to her. She pulls them gently from her face and allows gravity to pull their arms down together.

"Lead the way, Mr. Hatter." She responds softly.

Jefferson takes one step backwards, smiling slightly, holding her hands. He gently pulls her towards the porch and up to the front door. She doesn't break her gaze with his eyes. He opens the door behind his back, having released one of her hand, he backs into the house, pulling her along. She steps through the doorway and looks up to take in the inside of the house. In front of her is a large stairway, leading up to a second floor, to the right and left lead hallways into a dining room/living room with a large dark wood table with many chairs and a kitchen opposite of it. She looks down at her boots and sees white carpet underneath them. She releases Jefferson's hand and kneels down immediately, unlacing her boots and pulling them off, she throws them out on the porch before returning her gaze to the inside. She looks up to see a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Jefferson watches her carefully, examining her face.

Kat picks up her skirt at the knee and goes to the right, towards the living room. She enters the hallway, her hand gently grazing the wall and follows it into the large room. The walls are painted a dark wine color and have ornate paintings and candle holders aligning the wall. She ventures out into the middle of the room and spins around to take it all in. On the far wall is a cut out for a highly decorated fireplace. Jefferson follows her quietly, taking in her amazement, smiling to himself. She scurries off to another doorway and enters in the main room again, behind the stair well. She follows that through to the kitchen on the opposite side of the house. The counters are made of marble, with another large fireplace for cooking. She runs her hands along the counters and looks at all the shelves and cabinets with longing in her eyes. She turns around to find Jefferson behind her, watching her quietly. She leans against a counter and covers her mouth with her hand.

"I must look like a proper mess in such a beautiful home." She says playfully.

Jefferson walks to her and hoists her over his shoulder unexpectedly. She laughs and playfully hits his back. He carries her through to the entrance hall and begins to carry her up the stairs.

"You look like quite the mess I dare say! But nothing I can't fix." He says playfully, ascending the stairs.

He reaches the top and goes right to a door, he opens it carefully, placing her down in the new room. She slaps him on the chest and turns around to find a large bed before her, to the left a doorway stands with the daylight leaking through. She wanders into that room, away from the bed and finds herself in a bathroom. A large stand-alone copper tub is at the far end. She turns around to face Jefferson, whom is standing in the doorway.

"You're welcome to get cleaned up, and then get some rest." He gestures back and forth from the tub to the bed.

She clasps her hands together shyly.

"Jefferson…." She says quietly.

He chuckles to himself and walks over to the tub, turning a knob, water starts pouring into the tub through the faucet, steaming immediately. He opens a jar that's placed on the windowsill and takes a pinch, sprinkling it into the running water, a soft relaxing scent fills the air. Katarina stands against the wall, watching him throw in different things into the tub as it fills up. He stands upright, looking into the tub and then looks to her. He turns around as if he's just remembers something and hurries from the room. Katarina steps over to the large copper tub and stares into the water swirling around, there's different colors in each swirl, and it smells of her flower garden, a small lather is starting to build on the surface. Jefferson clears his throat at the doorway. She turns around to regard him, he has a box in his arms and fluffy cloth thrown over his arm. He places both items on the counter to the right of the tub that extends along the wall to the doorway. On the counter is a number of different ornate glass bottles filled with colored liquids, small boxes and canisters.

"Please take your time. Relax." He says calmly before turning to exit the room. He reaches the doorway, placing one hand on the frame to turn back to look at her.

The sun washes over her through the window, causing her to glow slightly. Her hands are clasped in front of her as she peers out the window to the green leaves of the trees. He smiles to himself and exits the bathroom, sliding a hidden door out from the wall and closing it with a click.

Katarina looks over her shoulder to reassure that he's left before turning off the faucet knob with a good twist. She undresses quickly, folding her clothes quickly and places them on the counter before stepping into the tub. She sinks into the warm water slowly up to her neck, kicking her feet up to the brim of the tub. She raises one of her hands up above the water due to a tingling sensation, seeing different colors sparkle on her skin and then run in streams back into the water.

"Magic.." She whispers to herself before lowering her hand into the water again.

She sinks into the warm water just below her nose and closes her eyes , enjoying the silence and the scent. A soft knock comes from the door. Katarina sits up quickly, her body tingling from the magic infused tub. The knock comes again.

"Katarina?" Jefferson's voice comes to her. She stands up quickly grabbing the fluffy cloth and wrapping herself in it before stepping out of the tub. She reaches up to her hair to feel that it's soaking wet, she strains it out into the tub and turns around towards the door. She crosses the bathroom quickly to the door and slides the door a little to peek through.

"Are you alright? You've been in there for almost an hour." Jefferson states softly.

Katarina looks to the window to see that the sunlight is a warm orange color, she looks to the tub, still clutching the cloth to herself.

"I suppose I must have dozed off." She says, running her fingers through her wet hair.

Jefferson opens the door further and turns her around back towards the counter. He sits her down on a soft stool in front of the counter, brushing her hair over her shoulder down her back. She pulls the cloth tighter around herself. Jefferson notices her discomfort and looks away from her, opening the box he placed there. He pulls out a light brown dress. The skirt in the shape of a bell with different cut drifts of sheer material with embroidered gold flowers, the bodice laces up in the back like a corset, and the front in a princess cut, the sleeves half-cut to the elbows with a drift of sheer material draping the elbows. Katarina looks over her shoulder to the dress, her eyes lighting up. Jefferson smiles and places it across her lap. She runs her fingers over the material, admiring it. She looks up to Jefferson.

"I couldn't. This is far too beautiful." She says, drifting off into a whisper.

Jefferson smirks to himself and steps back.

"Indulge me Katarina." He bends down, whispering into her ear.

She feels her cheeks flush as she looks down to the dress again. Jefferson quietly leaves the bathroom, closing the sliding door behind him. Katarina runs her fingers over the fabric again. She picks up the dress and places it on the counter. Looking to all of the containers on the counter. She opens up a pink hexagon box to find a shimmering, sweet smelling powder under a powder brush. She dusts herself lightly before closing the container again. Picking up a few different colored vials here and there she smells each one before deciding on an aquamarine one that smells like the sweet white flowers that line the sides of the creek. She picks up the dress again and begins to slip in it quickly. She pulls her hair over her shoulder, feeling it, surprisingly it's only damp now. She looks across the counter and comes across a stiff bristled brush. She runs her finger over the bristles before she begins to take it to her hair. With each brush, her hair becomes more dry, in astonishment she continues to brush. Her hair forming the loose ringlets and finally into a soft wave. She runs her fingers through her hair, finally satisfied she stands up and begins to tighten the laces on the back of her dress, finishing it off with a bow. She turns towards the door to find a looking glass in front of her, standing on a gold stand. She catches her reflection and gasps in delight. She steps forward, closer to the mirror.

"I look…like a princess…" She whispers to herself before turning around, her dress swaying out around her.

She runs her hands over the dress again before turning to the door, sliding it open. She steps through into the bedroom, a fireplace to her left next to the bed. She turns towards the exit and out to the landing above the stairs. She walks over to the railing and looks down to the foyer. Jefferson strides into the foyer from the living room and glances at her. He stops in his tracks at the bottom of the stairs and gazes up at her. She smiles shyly to herself at the look in his eyes. He straightens out his gray scarf around his neck, tucked into a maroon shirt with a brown vest and black pants. He places his hand on the railing knob at the bottom of the steps, watching her as she gracefully makes her way down the stairs to him. She picks up her skirt daintily so as not to step on the hem. Making it to the bottom step she releases her skirt, letting it fall to the ground at her feet. Looking up she finds his icy blue eyes staring at her, a smile in them. He raises a hand to her, palm up. She takes it playfully with a small smile and curtsies. He closes his fingers over hers and raises her hand slightly above her, pushing her hip gently to have her turn for him. She spins around playfully and giggles.

"You look beautiful Kat.." He breathes out.

He reaches out to her hair, carefully grasping a single lock in his hand and running his fingers down it. She looks away from him, covering her small smile with her fingertips. He tugs on her hand, walking backwards towards the living room, not taking his eyes off of her. They enter into the living room, passing the large dining table over the other fireplace. A wolf's skin is laid out on the floor in front of the fire, a large white platter with black trimming is set on it, a display of different cut meats and vegetables and fruit arranged on it. In the fireplace is a kettle hanging over the fire, a tea set on a tray sit next to the fire on the hearth. He leads her over to the wolf's skin and has her sit. She looks around at the display and to the fireplace before returning her gaze to Jefferson. He grabs the kettle from the fireplace and pours the hot water into a silver teapot before returning the kettle. He then adjusts his pants to take a seat next to her.

Katarina smoothes out the skirt of her dress over her legs. Looking down to her hands, blushing lightly. Jefferson notices her bashfulness and takes the moment to pour the tea. He places the tea cup on a saucer and holds it out for her to take. She looks up with her eyes and timidly takes the saucer and cup in both hands, lowering it to her lap. The tea is a light yellow green color and steaming gently. She stares at it swirling around in her cup and brings it to her lips, the smell of soft flowers fills her nose, she takes a small sip. The image of small dangling yellow flowers floats into her mind. She puts the cup back on the saucer and looks up quickly to Jefferson.

"More magic?" She asks a little annoyed.

Jefferson looks at her confused.

"What magic?"

"You put magic into the tea to make it give you subtle images." She accuses, placing the tea cup saucer on the wolf's skin.

Jefferson continues to have a confused expression on his face.

"I didn't put any magic..in anything?" He says to match his expression, placing his tea down.

Katarina looks down to her cup again, picking it up quickly and taking another sip. The image of the Hare's long extended table with multiple tea sets all over it appears in her mind. She looks at the liquid in her cup again before setting it down.

Jefferson leans closer to her, trying to catch her eyes. He sits back and looks her over inquisitively.

"What is it?" He asks quietly.

"I just saw the Hare's table from Wonderland…" She whispers incredulously.

Jefferson looks to the fireplace and then back to her, his eyebrows furrowing.

"That is where the tea is from. But I didn't do anything to it, nor am I having the same reaction as you." He says more to himself aloud.

Katarina shakes her head and searches Jefferson's face for any indication of a lie. Her eyes narrowing as thoughts swarm through her mind.

"How can I trust you…" She says under her breath.

Jefferson snaps into focus on her. His lips pursed tightly. He breathes out heavily through his nostrils and scrunches up his face back into relaxation.

"Kat.." He says frustrated. "I am not trying to harm you. I am not trying to use you for anything. I simply, and irrevocably, have fallen-"

Katarina's face flushes immediately, her eyes going wide.

"What?" She says quickly.

Jefferson looks up to the ceiling, realizing his rambling, feeling a jolt through his chest immediately, slightly embarrassed. He searches for the words to save himself.

"Fallen into this line of work, with certain clients that have…..no influence on my personal business." He mutters out quickly, looking to her gaze shyly.

She looks away to the fireplace, watching the smoldering wood log crackle and brighten with each breath of air it takes to keep the fire lit. She breathes steadily, shaking her head at her assumption of what he was going to say, smiling at her own ignorance. Her heart beating wildly in her chest, she places her hand over her heart absent mindedly.

"My pardons, Jefferson." She says formally.

Jefferson breathes out slowly in relief. He turns his attention to the platter of food, reaching for a small slice of cheese, bringing it to his mouth, only to nibble off a tiny bit before resting his hand on his thigh. Katarina continues to stare into the fire.

"Let's get you to bed. You could use some rest." Jefferson says quietly, coming to a stand.

Katarina snaps out of her self-reflection and follows suit, coming to a stand slowly, making sure to not rip her dress. She clasps her delicate fingers in front of her chest and looks down to her hands. Feeling a creeping guilt fill her chest. She nods and looks to the entryway to the stairs. Jefferson steps past her and saunters over to the entryway, with her in tow. She follows him silently, looking up at his back. They ascend the stairs quickly and enter the bedroom to the left. He walks over to the bed as she stops at the doorway. He pulls back the plush covers and turns to the fireplace, placing another log on it from the pile in a basket at the base. The embers crackle and float up the fireplace. Kat steps lightly to the foot of the bed, still keeping her eyes downcast. Jefferson turns around to find her there, looking to the floor.

"Kat…" He says quietly, trying to catch her eyes.

She looks up reluctantly to meet his icy blue eyes, a sadness embedded in them. She raises her fingers to touch her upper lip and clears her throat gently, looking down again. Jefferson steps forward hastily, wrapping his left arm around her waist and the other to her cheek, tilting her face up. She freezes up, shocked at the abruptness and her eyes widen, now looking into his. Her cheeks grow warm. He brushes his thumb across her cheek, searching her eyes, his eyebrows furrowed with concentration and concern.

"Jefferson…please…." She whispers, her voice catching in her throat.

Jefferson pulls her into him by her waist, dropping his hand from her cheek, grabbing her left hand and placing it on his chest, holding her hand there. Katarina's heart jumps and begins to beat rapidly.

"Can't you see…this." Tapping her hand with his index finger. "This is what you do to me. I could never…" He trails off.

Katarina looks down to her hand on his chest. Finally she realizes that she can feel his heartbeat, beating just as rapidly as her own.

"I could never…" He looks to the fireplace, chuckling briefly to himself. "I could never allow anything to harm you…not even myself." He says bravely.

Katarina looks up from her hand on his chest, bringing her free hand up to the side of his face, brushing his curly brown hair gently with the tips of her fingers. He inhales sharply, returning his gaze to her. The fire reflected in his eyes, casting an eerie orange glow over them. She holds her breath, running her fingertips over his ear, through his soft hair. She follows her hand with her eyes. A smile brushing the corners of her lips. Jefferson releases her hand over his heart and gently reaches towards her face, his fingers slightly trembling. Katarina glances at his hand, leaning her head towards it, his index finger slightly brushes her cheek, cupping her cheek again.

"Jefferson…." She says again hushed.

Jefferson can hear his heart beating in his ears, his breath ragged. 'True loves kiss…' He thinks to himself. He feels her fragile frame shaking in his grasp, her lips slightly parted. He leans in slowly, not taking his eyes from her lips. She closes her lips tight and turns away from him and his hand. She pushes gently on his chest.

Jefferson suddenly becoming annoyed let's her go and steps back from her, dropping his hands to his sides. He curls in his lips and bites down on them slightly, a look of aggravation and confusion displayed on his face.

"I don't get it.." He says bluntly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Katarina sits back on the foot of the bed and crosses her arms over her to hold herself by the abdomen. She looks away from him, towards the doorway.

"One minute you're mad at me for supposedly being evil and the next you're…." He continues and trails off, unable to describe the situation.

"Jefferson. Please." She says mutely.

"Please, what?! You are always saying that. What am I supposed to do?" He says, throwing his hands to either side of him to drop and slap at his thighs. He watches her, as she doesn't move, like a statue.

"…It's contagious…" She whispers.

Jefferson brings his right hand up to his face and wipes at his eye before turning to the fireplace. His chest becoming warm with frustration. He turns around and hastily grabs her by her shoulders, pulling her up from her lean. He stares into her face that's displaying shock and stubbornness. He loosens his grip on her arms, realizing his harshness.

"And I can cure that.." He says through gritted teeth.

Katarina's face hardens into resolve. Her eyes afire.

"No." She states. "You can't."

Jefferson feels like he's been hit with enormous amounts of weight all over his entire body. He releases her and steps back, straightening out. He squares his shoulders off, showing nothing on his face.

"Will you, at least, let me try…" He asks flatly.

Katarina turns around to face the bed, her hair cascading down her back in loose curls. She reaches up to one of her shoulders to rub where he had grabbed her.

"A couple of days ago, I would have." She responds coldly.

Jefferson turns quickly and exits the room, closing the door behind him. He leans his back against the door, trying to slow his breathing.

'Something's not right…she would never be like this…I don't understa-' He thinks to himself then glares at the floor.

"Rumple."


	13. Chapter 13

Jefferson seats himself in front of the fireplace in his living room on an all black couch. He rests his elbow on the arm and props his face on his hand. His legs crossed with his left ankle resting on his right knee and his left arm draped across the top of the back rest. He watches the fire dance lazily over the logs.

'What could he have done to her…this isn't like her at all.' He thinks to himself. 'She's known for her compassion and non-judgmental nature…I've seen her with people…and they get away with far more in regards to her…she's usually so…'

"Forgiving." He says aloud to himself.

The wood log in the fireplace cracks and pops loudly. Jefferson leans forward, uncrossing his legs. He props his elbows on his knees and clasps his hands together in front of him. Not retreating his gaze from the fire. He hears the floorboards creak above him softly, with the following footsteps. The bedroom door squeaks open slowly. Jefferson looks back over his shoulder slightly, barely being able to see the entry way to the living room. He hears the soft padding of footsteps making their way down the stairs. It falls silent besides the crackling of the fireplace. Katarina appears in the entry way at the far end of the living room. Jefferson sits up and turns to her from his seat. She's wearing her tattered traveling clothes again with her hands clasped in front of her, lazily hanging. She's rubbing her hands methodically.

"I just wanted to thank you for your hospitality…" She says meekly before turning away and towards the front entrance.

Jefferson watches her before coming to a stand slowly. She opens the front door, a cold rush of air greets her into the darkness of the night. She coughs quietly into her hand, pulling her cloak tighter to her with her free hand.

"Kat." Jefferson calls to her. He begins to make his way to the front entry way. He stops halfway to the door, where she still stands, peering into the night.

"Stay for the evening at least. I know that your illness is triggered by the moon. And I know that if I let you go, you won't make it home, and I'll find you on the path…" He offers calmly.

Katarina turns her head towards him, her eyes downcast.

"I have to get back to Jonathon…" She replies with her excuse.

"And you won't make it. And then he won't have you anymore. Is your stubbornness worth it?" Jefferson takes a step forward.

She looks up to the path lit by the moon ahead of her. A ray of light at her feet. She takes a step into the light and immediately collapses to her knees, one of her hands still holding onto the door. A rasping breath coursing from her lips. Jefferson launches forward to her and kneels down beside her, taking a hold of her arm. He begins to caress the back of her hand gently, as if petting her.

"Please…Katarina.." He whispers in a plea to her.

She looks up at him weakly, black liquid already lightly splattered on her bottom lip. Jefferson pulls her away from the doorway, kicking the door shut, holding her to him. He cradles her head in his arm, her cheek pressed against his chest. His other arm draped across her torso to her waist. Katarina continues to look up at him, her illness overcoming her. Jefferson removes a square of linen from his vest pocket and dabs at her bottom lip. He places the linen in her hand gently, she grasps it weakly. He picks her up bridal style quickly and rushes her into the living room again in front of the fire. He sets her down gently on the couch and grabs the folded up wolf's skin shaking it out before placing it on her rhythmically. He kneels down next to her, his face at level with hers.

"What do you need me to do?" He asks quietly, concern showing in his eyes.

Katarina stares blankly at him, a sweat breaking out on her forehead. Her lips cracking suddenly, her eyes begin to look sunken in with large dark circles appearing underneath them. Jefferson moves back slightly to look her over. Small dark purple sparkles floating up from her body.

"Kat? You've been using magic to subside the effects haven't you?" He whispers in a panic, leaning in closer to her. He grabs one of her hands with both of his, bringing her fingers to his lips. He shuts his eyes and his eyebrows furrows.

"It's not only at night anymore is it…it's all the time..you're just using the flower potion as a glamour….so nobody sees how sick you really are." He continues on, going through his realization.

'She won't last til the end of the week..' He thinks to himself.

Katarina tugs her hand from his grasp and cups his cheek. Her hand is cold against his skin. He opens his eyes to look at her, a sadness in them.

"It's..alright." She says, a rasp in her voice. Her eyes glazing over.

Jefferson reaches up to meet her hand on his face.

"No…it's not. Kat..my lovely Kat…I can't-" He stops himself, closing his eyes again.

A sudden shock goes through Jefferson's chest, silence falls over the room. He opens his eyes abruptly to see Katarina frozen over with a purple sheen. Jefferson stands up immediately and turns around towards the fireplace.

"Oh my my, deary, it looks like you haven't been able to cure her yet."

"Rumple." Jefferson snarls out.

Rumplestiltskin turns around theatrically, adorned in a red reptile skinned overcoat with a high pointed collar. His vest matching, over a plain black shirt. His pants a dark brown in the same reptile skinned fashion.

"Don't sound so pleased to see me." Rumple states sarcastically in a playful tone of voice.

"Why should I? You tampered with our deal." Jefferson spits out.

"Oh did I?" Rumple asks whimsically.

"You DID something to her!" Jefferson says, pointing down to Katarina.

Rumple crosses his arms, a smile fading on his face.

"Did I? Or did you? See here, deary, I didn't do anything. You. You were the one that decided not to show your true self to her, resulting in this tragic drama that has played out before you. You. You were the one that began to break her heart, right when she was ready to hand it over to you. You did this. Not me. I simply investigated and removed the silver lining, for magical purposes of course." Rumplestiltskin crosses the room as he rambles on.

Jefferson rubs his face angrily.

"You need more time, deary." Rumple says in a sing-song voice.

"Well I haven't got much of that, now do I?" Jefferson drops his hands to his side, looking down to Katarina again.

"I can give it to you." Rumple says with a high-pitched giggle.

"What possibly could you want more?" Jefferson asks annoyed.

"Oh no no. I don't have want for anything at the moment. But when I do, I'll let you know." Rumple snaps his fingers, he disappears in a cloud of smoke.

Katarina unfreezes as well as the fireplace. Sounds return to the room. Jefferson looks down to her before kneeling quickly again.

"Jefferson.." She inquires with her eyes.

"Yes my dear." He says quickly, taking up her hand in his.

"The flower…" She mutters while closing her eyes.

Jefferson watches her drift off, her body relaxing, her hand going slack in his.

'_More time….that would only work if it stopped_.' Jefferson sighs heavily.


	14. Chapter 14

Katarina stirs gently on the couch. She opens her eyes slowly, blinking to adjust to the light. The fireplace is crackling softly. In front of her sits Jefferson, staring into the fire. He's leaning against his elbow, laying on his side in front of the fire. Katarina sits up, rubbing her eyes and stretching. Jefferson turns to look over his shoulder.

"Are you feeling better after some rest?" He asks worriedly, turning himself around to face her.

Katarina looks to the fireplace, still crackling lazily in the fireplace. A sudden pain shoots through her heart, followed by a throbbing sensation. She folds her hands over her chest instinctively, breathing in slowly.

"What's the matter?" Jefferson continues to inquiry in response to her silence.

"It was just an odd pain, a sharp jolt, as if it were in my heart." She states more to herself than to answer his question.

Jefferson positions himself closer to the edge of the couch, looking up at her, he places his hand tenderly on her folded knees under the wolf-skin blanket. She squirms at his touch and snaps her attention to his face. His icy blue eyes pleading to her for some form of attention. Katarina tilts her head slightly to the left and smiles weakly at him. A pale red flushing her cheeks, she can feel the warmth returning to her body slowly. Realizing the cold, she wraps the wolf-skin higher on her arms and rubs them gently. Jefferson stands up quickly and offers out his hand to her.

"Please, come warm yourself by the fire." He insists in a hushed voice.

Katarina looks up to meet his gaze before taking his hand, he hoists her out of her seat and leads her to the hearth of the fire, adjusting the wolf-skin on her arms.

"I'll go grab you some warmer clothes, I know it gets terribly cold and drafty in this empty home." He begins to walk away, gesturing to his home with his right hand.

Katarina looks over her shoulder and watches him exit the room swiftly, she drops her gaze to the floor and then back to the fire.

'_How is it still night time….I must have been out for hours.' _She thinks to herself, allowing her mind to wander to before she fell asleep.

She looks over her shoulder again at the entrance to the living room. Quickly she stands up, clutching the wolf-skin tightly around herself. Hurriedly, she makes her way to the front door again, placing her hand on the door handle and checking over her shoulder to the top of the stairs again. There's no sign of Jefferson. She turns her attention to the door again and pulls on the handle gently, trying to avoid any sound. The door cracks open reluctantly with a quick squeak, moonlight spills through the crack. Katarina closes the door hastily and screws her face up in disappointment. She steps sideways to the window to her right, peeking through the curtains to the sky, the moon is full and directly above, shining brightly, as if taunting her.

She backs away from the window in disbelief.

'_There's no way that I was only asleep for a few minutes….' _She thinks to herself angrily.

"Is something wrong?" Jefferson's voice comes to her directly behind her.

Katarina spins around, tightening her grip on the wolf-skin. She shakes her head and looks down at the floor, her eyebrows furrowed.

Jefferson bends to try and meet her downcast eyes. He reaches up to place his hand on her exposed shoulder. She looks up, confusion displayed in her eyes. She searches his face for a hint of anything unusual.

Jefferson straightens up, keeping his eyes locked with hers. He furrows his brows.

"What happened?" Katarina asks in an accusatory tone.

Jefferson picks up on the tone and drops his hand from her shoulder, glancing away momentarily before raising his hand to his own face, rubbing at his own chin.

"Kat.. You became ill and-" He starts.

"The TRUTH, Jefferson." She growls out, her eyes ablaze.

Jefferson drops his hand to his side. Katarina sighs and walks past him towards the stairs quickly. Jefferson watches her make her ascent and disappear into the room to the right, closing the door softly behind her.

Jefferson rubs the bridge of his nose annoyed before clasping his hands behind his head and starting to pace in his foyer. He closes his eyes momentarily before strengthening his resolve. Releasing his hand, he begins to tighten his hands into fists repeatedly. Finally shaking them out and tucking his fingers into his vest pockets.

'_Sure. The truth. The Dark One appeared, made some sort of deal with me for more time for you. Whatever that may mean. But yes, the one thing you can't stand and yet again thoroughly enjoy is magic and it has happened. You're welcome?' _He thinks to himself irritated.

"I don't know what to do.." He whispers to himself before laughing dejectedly to himself.

Katarina sits atop of the bed, still clutching the wolf-skin around her shoulders. Peering into the dying fire in her fireplace. She's breathing rapidly, her heart racing, thoughts a hurricane in her mind. Conflicting feelings at war inside of her.

'_Why do I feel this way…I know how I feel about him..and yet, this ebbing feeling of dread just keeps haunting me…changing me…' _She furrows her brow in concentration, trying to make sense of it all. '_Where is my mind..'_

A soft tapping fills the silence that previously reigned. Katarina recognizes it as footsteps up Jefferson's wood stairs. She draws her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them before burying her face in the wolf-skin draped across her shoulders, covering her arms.

'_Monster..'_ Katarina looks up suddenly, unaware of the origin of the thought. '_I certainly don't feel this way about him…' _She retorts to her inner thoughts. '_I'm just telling you the truth…'_

Katarina stares into the last burning embers of the fire, self-searching suddenly, surprised and afraid of where this is all coming from. A dull ache forms in her chest.

A soft knocking comes from the door, a sliver of light falls against the wall next to her.

"Katarina…" Jefferson's voice is soft and hollow.

She doesn't move or respond to him, still focusing on the ache in her chest.

"Please…allow me to tell you honestly what has happened." His voice growing stronger.

"Mr. Hatter. May I make a request of you?" She responds monotonously.

Jefferson steps through the doorway, the door opened wider, the light flooding over her form. He looks to the fire and immediately walks over, throwing another log on the fire and poking at it with the fire poker, bringing the dying embers to a full bodied flame, emanating a lush warmth. He turns without looking at her and walks back through the doorway, retrieving something from a side table. He returns with a vase with flowers ornately placed in them, he sets them down on her nightstand gently before returning to the hallway to retrieve another item. He brings in a tray with two white teacups and a pot of hot water. He also sets this tray down on the nightstand and pours the water delicately into the tea cup. He hands the cup to her gingerly. Katarina reluctantly takes hold of the cup and looks into it, the purple flower in full bloom floats atop it. The sparkle of a dark night replicated in its petals. She takes a long sip and rests the cup on her knee.

Jefferson sighs in relief and pours himself a cup, placing a few tea leaves in his cup. He swirls it around briskly before smelling it and adding another pinch of tea leaves. Katarina watches him from the corner of her eye. Satisfied with his concoction he turns to her again before taking a seat on the bed next to her.

"Your request, my lady?" He asks meekly, flashing her a small smile before returning his gaze to his teacup.

A pang of guilt shoots through her heart, removing all traces of the dull ache the resonated within her. She shifts herself to face him full on, the wolf-skin slipping further down her arm. Jefferson glances up to see it and tries to replace it higher on her shoulder.

"Thank you, Jefferson." She says sweetly, the obvious guilt in her eyes.

Jefferson meets her eyes and assesses her face quickly, acknowledging the sincerity of it. His face remaining blank and a little set back. Nervously he places his cup on the tray resting on the nightstand , stands up and crosses the room, his fingertips brushing across her arm gently and discreetly. He opens the standing armoire, the wood made of cherrywood with a darker varnish on it, intricately carved leaf filigree along the top with brass knobs. Inside a number of garments are covered with a soft material, opening in the center flap, revealing a selection of different color dresses. He shuffles through them quickly before coming to the left side, peaking through one of the flaps he removes the item from it's silk hanger and holds it in both hands, admiring the piece before setting it on the bed.

Katarina watches him the entire time and rests her gaze on the item.

"For you to sleep in. Anything in the wardrobe you are more than welcome to. Please." Jefferson explains quickly.

Katarina glances up through her lashes at him before reaching out to touch the clothing item on the bed. The material soft, breathy and quite lush under her fingertips.

"I've seem to come up on a small fortune and spend my earnings on things that I find appealing to my tastes. Including fashion that I admire. This selection was acquired from different worlds, highly respectable I assure you. It's become a hobby of mine to collect these things. I see so much, and enjoy very little. So it would really be an honor to see these worn by someone worthy, I believe all of them will be complimented by your beauty..I'm sorry. I'm rambling." Jefferson laughs to himself before closing the armoire and resting his back against it, his hands on the brass knobs.

He casts his eyes downwards, glancing up trying to catch her reaction.

She slips off the bed gracefully, her toes touching the carpet first delicately. She rounds the bed, her back to Jefferson and she picks up the night gown attentively.

"It's lovely Jefferson…but I could never-" Katarina starts.

Jefferson steps forward quickly, standing directly behind her. He can hear her breathing steady and slow and suddenly catch in her throat as she picks up his quick movement.

"Never? Such a curious word. But I insist. " He gently brushes the back of his fingers down her arms to the night gown in her hands.

The fabric the color of dusty roses, the texture soft and silky. Small embroideries of petals dance across the princess cut neck line. Jefferson inhales and exhales slowly. He retracts his hands from her arms. He then turns away from her and looks to the open doorway, light pouring in from the hallway.

"I'll leave you to rest. I'm just down the hall if you need anything." He states curtly before making his haste to the exit.

"Jefferson." Katarina calls after him as he's about to close the door behind him. Jefferson turns to look over his shoulder.

"Yes m'lady?" He responds playfully, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.

Katarina smiles delicately, still holding the night gown she folds it over her forearm.

"Thank you." She says with a soft voice.

Jefferson's chest wells up with a light feeling and he smiles full heartedly before nodding his head once and finally closing the door behind him.


	15. Chapter 15

Jefferson closes his bedroom door behind him, a soft click echoes in confirmation. He exhales heavily before raking his fingers through his hair. He paces at the foot of his bed, pulling his scarf out of his vest and undoing it, throwing it to the bedpost. The square cherry wood knob catches the scarf. Undoing his buttons of his vest while kicking off his shoes, he makes his way to the fireplace at the far end of the room. He discards his vest, throwing it behind him aimlessly, he kneels down to the empty fireplace.

_'This is what you get…for taking on the Dark One. Imbecile.'_ He thinks to himself angrily.

He grabs a wood log from a basket beside his fire place and tosses it into the fireplace. Standing up quickly he grabs a small vial on the hearth, unstoppering it and pouring it on the wood log. Flames spark up instantly, lighting up the room. He stoppers the vial again and returns it to its place on the hearth.

"What are you? Crazy? Honestly." Jefferson chuckles to himself, rubbing at his chin. Closing his eyes in frustration.

"Not crazy. Acting in desperation.." He reconfirms himself.

He turns around to face his bed. The oversized bed, stuffed with cotton and goose feathers, fitted sheets made of black satin, and the cover a deep crimson red with gold leaf patterns. The cherry wood frame varnished so dark to look black. On his bedside table of the same style as his bed, lies a haphazardly stacked leather-bound notebooks, and a brass candle holder with a half-melted wax candle.

He clasps his hands together in front of his mouth, his eyebrows furrowing.

'_What if the kiss doesn't work….what if it's a trick again…I can't take any chances…if there's a true cure, a reason, anything…it'll be in those….I have to find it..I don't have any time.' _Thinking to himself panicky.

Jefferson rounds his bed to the side table, grabbing the first notebook from the pile and sits on his bed fluidly. He repositions himself on the bed and leans against the headboard, unwinding the leather string wrapped around the notebook and opening it with an inhale.

_The Curse of Cherish._

_…decades have passed with no possible..no..no tangible cure…It's always the same. Magic was the reason, magic is the end of it….but my family..they don't believe in it…they hate it. Despise it. I've watched my loved ones pass, one after another, until there is only one left. And then it's passed on in a new cycle. It's highly contagious. And yet, no healer can seem to pinpoint the problem. I get the same answers from witch doctors. Bad blood. Black blood. _

_I've heard of a sorcerer of late, no. An apprentice. They say he can help. Him or his master. I plan of making a journey to visit him. To find some answers….before…before my dear Beth succumbs to the sickness. Before our child is born…_

Jefferson flips another page to find another torn one. The paper feels crisp and thin. Old. A soft tapping breaks the silence of his room. He peers up quickly to his door. He closes the book hastily and tosses it onto his bedside table. Hours have passed and three notebooks later, still no answer. Frustrated he gets off of his bed and goes to his door quickly, opening it to a sliver.

Katarina stands there, the light from the sliver illuminating her golden hazel eyes. Her brown hair draping her shoulders in soft ringlets. The nightgown Jefferson picked for her fits her perfectly. The inch wide straps loosely sit on her ivory shoulders. Jefferson finds himself again and opens the door wider, inhaling sharply.

Katarina's hands are clasped in front of her stomach. Jefferson takes in the full view of her, the night gown fits snuggly around her torso and the skirt of it sways with her movements, covering the tops of her feet. She glances around his room swiftly and brings her eyes back to his.

"I'm sorry to disturb you.." She mutters sweetly.

Jefferson shakes his head and steps aside, raising an arm to motion her into his room. Katarina looks to her hands and then the floor. She takes a wary few steps into his room. Jefferson closes the door behind her and she spins around on her heal to look at him.

Jefferson crosses his arms over his chest and looks at the look of worry in her eyes.

"My apologies, would you prefer the door open? I was just attempting to keep the warmth in." He states before turning to the door again about to open it.

"No, no it's fine. I'm not accustomed to being in any else's room is all." She reaches out to touch his arm.

Jefferson turns around slowly, crossing his arms again.

"Please, have a seat then." Jefferson motions towards the bed, he crosses the room to throw a couple of fresh woodlogs on the fire.

Katarina looks around the room lingering on certain items before moving on. She peers at the bedside table, noticing the two stacks of books now.

"A little light reading?" She jests before seating herself on the edge of the right side of his bed.

Jefferson chuckles, turning around to face her, still standing in front of the fireplace, watching her eyes drift around his room. He suddenly feels exposed and uncomfortable of her inquisitive gazing.

"It's cozy in here, much different from the rest of your home." Katarina states observantly.

Jefferson smirks and relaxes a little. She returns her eyes to him, catching his smirk.

"What's so funny, sir?" She asks playfully, crossing her hands on her lap.

Jefferson peeks up and shakes his head.

"I feel as if your judging my character, seeing my true self and disapproving of it." He returns in a light tone.

"Oh no. Not at all. Not disapproving." Katarina responds carefully, the hint of playfulness still carried in her voice.

"So, what can I do for you Miss Katarina?" Jefferson asks, uncrossing his arms and clasping his hands behind his back, straightening his stance.

"Just your company. Maybe I have some questions." Katarina responds softly.

"My company I can gladly give you. What questions might you have for me? I'll tell you if I can oblige." Jefferson responds immediately, walking over to the bed, he sits beside her.

Katarina shifts to look into his eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Let's make it a game Miss Katarina." He says in a hushed tone.

Katarina's eyes sparkle in the light of the fireplace.

"Here's the game. You ask one question. I tell you two answers. Now, one of these answers is the truth, the other a small fib. You have to pick which one is true. If you get it wrong, I get to ask you a question. And you do the same in turn." Jefferson explains quickly.

Katarina giggles and nods. Her soft curls bouncing with her giggle.

Jefferson scoots himself backwards onto his bed and leans against the headboard. Katarina blushes and looks to her hands, twisting her fingers into knots.

"Alright Mr. Hatter." A small glint in her eyes. "How long have you lived here?" She asks, a devilish smirk spreads through her face.

"Oh that's how it's going to be. Alright, well then. I've lived here my entire life, I grew up in the valley just across the way, my parents were farmers and we lived humbly. On the other hand, I've just recently moved here, passed through town once, been almost a year now, had this house built all because I saw the most beautiful thing in the world and couldn't bring myself to leave. I wanted to stay close." Jefferson responds enthusiastically, framing his story with a series of hand gestures, pointing around in motions of distance.

Katarina laughs and shakes her head. "You're good at this. Both of those are believable but unbelievable at the same time. Though I can't remember having ever seen you before. So I'll have to go with the first story was a lie."

"A small fib! Not a lie. I would never." Jefferson responds. "Go on, ask your second question." Jefferson says with a circular wave of his hand towards her.

Katarina smiles and claps her hands together in front of her face, folding her fingers over the other besides her forefingers, leaving them pointed upwards and resting over her lips. She looks down at the fire, thinking carefully.

"How did you come into this line of business? Your work?" Katarina asks carefully, glancing sideways.

Jefferson sighs and rakes his fingers through his hair before crossing his arms over his chest. He rubs at the stubble on his chin.

"I essentially made hats for a living. Every night I would go to this tavern, for a bit of dinner and a drink, one day, a man dressed in all black and crimson came strolling through with a group of men, most likely pirates from the looks of it. He was boasting to all the women that would give him a bit of time that he had traveled through these magical portals, to other worlds, different worlds. All because of a magical bean he had been able to acquire. He didn't say how, he went on about these different worlds. And it got me to thinking. A mad idea, what if I could harness this portal, what if I could infuse this magic into a doorway, an item, anything. I scoured the markets for any item believed to have magical properties of portals. And finally, I came into possession of this magical bean. It cost me everything. I lost my shop. I lost my home. Everything. I sought the talents of a magic man. And I found one. He told me to give him an item of mine and this bean. Well all I had on me was my hat. And he infused the two in a great flash and handed it back to me. I didn't believe him. I began to ask him how it worked. But he was gone. White haired bearded man, old in age, just somehow got away so fast. Day and night I toiled over how I had been tricked. He must of taken the bean for himself and disappeared that way. Out of frustration I threw my hat on the floor. It began to spin. Well you know how it works. I went through every single door. And the idea just came to me. I could be an extreme traveling merchant. On the other hand though, I actually inherited the hat from a shaman woman. She told me to be wary of the dangers that come along, and to be wise with my travels. She was the original, I just merely adopted the lifestyle." Jefferson recants and then drops his hand from his chin, looking to Katarina for her expression.

Her lips are slightly parted, and her eyes glazed over, mulling over the details. She shakes her head.

"That's incredible." She whispers to herself.

"Which one is the truth my lady?" Jefferson asks playfully.

"Goodness, I don't even know, both are so believable. You are a veteran in this game." Katarina rambles on, throwing her hands into the air.

"It was a game that the old man liked to play..or was it the shaman woman?" Jefferson responds, looking off into the corner of the room.

Katarina laughs, continuing to shake her head.

"How will I ever keep up? Umm.. let's see. The first story was almost too detailed, where as the second one held little to no detail. I'll have to say the first story is false, out of exaggerated detail." Katarina responds analytically.

"Wrong. Now it's my turn." Jefferson says devilishly, sitting himself up.

Katarina's jaw drops and she looks to the fire again.

"You're incredible Jefferson." She says astonished.

Jefferson smiles proudly, his expression sinks. '_Just ask her.'_

"How did you become sick..Kat?" Jefferson asks quietly.

Katarina's shoulder sink forward. She pulls her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs, brushing the hem of the night gown across the top of her feet.

"The story is told through the generations of my family. One day, an evil wizard came to town, he played innocent and nice, well one day, he fell in love, at first sight, this woman that worked at the local bakery. He had watched her for many months, and finally he built up the courage to tell her of his affections, tried to show off by playing around with magic. But it didn't go as planned, she was terrified and repulsed by him, she rebuffed his affections. He didn't take kindly to that. And he cursed her, and her family to come, to fall ill at the age of sixteen, and to slowly die. He said that she would cough up every last speck of her black heart, her bad blood. And he vanished. Though I've heard that story actually was through a doctor, he had been a traveler as well, from overseas. He was to be an expert at healing the plague. By injecting a small amount of the plague into the bloodstream, you would grow an immunity to it. But he was wrong, and the only family that ever lived through it was my bloodline, able to have families to live on for centuries, but all come to the same fate." Katarina explains quickly.

_Bad blood. Black heart._

Jefferson sits, stunned, unsure of either story. He watches her face and she silently stares at him, one eyebrow slightly raised.

"Both stories seem to have to do with the bloodline. Wonderful little trick there." Jefferson recovers quickly. "But I'll have to say that the evil wizard story is false."

"Wrong." Katarina whispers.

Jefferson's heart sinks in his chest. His breath catching in his throat.

"What wizard? Do you know the name?" Jefferson asks quickly, rage building up inside of him.

"I believe that it is not your turn to be asking questions." Katarina responds curtly, standing up from the bed immediately.

Jefferson relaxes back against his bedpost, watching Katarina as she shakes and her hands are balled up into tight fists, her knuckles turning white. He glances to her face to see her eyes burning as she stares into the fire.

"I shouldn't have asked that.." Jefferson says to himself.

Katarina shakes her head slightly.

"No. I wanted you to know. But at the same time…I didn't want to say anything, because that vile creature is your friend. And I was afraid to say it aloud. Because it only brings light to the matter. Why I'm so angry with you. Why I don't trust you..I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt. I don't know what you want with me." Katarina rambles on, her emotions heard in her voice. Her lips trembling.

"Ask your question Katarina…" Jefferson says dejectedly.

"Why have you trapped me here?" Katarina asks angrily.

Jefferson closes his eyes and exhales slowly, he clenches his jaw, thinking of what his answer should be.

"I didn't trap you here, it's all a part of that magic that you loathe so vehemently. This isn't my doing. It was a gift of time, to be able to help you, to cure you. If that was even the truth of the matter. If there even is a cure. Though. On the other hand…." Jefferson begins.

'_I wanted to be with you..'_ Jefferson thinks to himself.

"That one is the lie." Katarina hisses through her teeth and makes her exit from the room swiftly, shutting the door behind her.

"Wrong.." Jefferson whispers to himself, his eyes lingering on his closed door.


	16. Chapter 16

Jefferson steps out into the cool of night, softly closing his front door behind him. He straightens out his overcoat briskly and peers into the darkness of the night. He begins to walk down the path to the main road, turning right abruptly. The tails of his coat kicking up with each step. Determination and anger set in his demeanor.

"I have a feeling you're looking for me, deary."

Jefferson stops in his tracks and looks to his left of the path. A ray of moonlight lights up the sickly gold skin of the man he was looking for. He lunges forward to grab him, but he vanishes in a blink.

"Now, now, now. That doesn't seem to be the proper way to greet a friend." Rumplestiltskin says in a sickly sweet tone of voice, ending it with a giggle.

Jefferson spins around to come face to face with him.

"I believe that you may have some questions for me." Rumple begins, flourishing out his arms and stepping to the side of Jefferson.

"There's no doubt about it that you've realiz-" He starts up again.

"Realized that you're the one that cursed her?" Jefferson interrupts angrily.

Rumplestiltskin stops in his tracks, looking down at the ground.

"Listen here, deary, I. Didn't. Do. Anything. To her." Rumple points out matter-o-factly.

Rumple steps back and waves his hands over himself.

"The way that her family was cursed was through the Dark One. Is that not you?" Jefferson follows him with his eyes, an angry expression still displayed on his face.

Rumple nods and points his forefinger in the air.

"See the thing is, this power, that I have, it is passed down. There was another Dark One before I claimed it. Sadly, the name does remain. But I did not curse anyone. Recently that I can think of." Rumple explains while continuing to pace the ground and exaggerating his commentary with a series of waving hands.

"And if it wasn't you, how do you know what the cure is? How did it not work on the generations before her?" Jefferson continues to inquire hastily.

Rumple crosses his arms in front of him and smiles keenly.

"You can love, but you only have one chance at true love. Or so they say." Rumple says with a giggle.

"But you better hurry, deary, your time is almost up." And with that Rumple disappears in a puff of smoke.

Jefferson balls his hands into fists immediately, having not received the information that he wanted. He reaches up retrieving the hat from his head and tosses it on the ground. The hat begins to spin and purple smoke vortex forms below it. Without a thought, Jefferson jumps into it.

Katarina opens her bedroom door a crack, with a small squeak, it echoes through the emptiness of home. She slides through the doorway into the hall, tiptoeing quickly to the top of the stairs. She looks to her right quickly to check the door to his room. It's dark under the door, and silent.

Katarina descends the stairs slowly, looking around swiftly. She stops on the platform at the bottom, leaning over the railing to look into each doorway before going to her right. She finds herself in a very neat and clean kitchen. Disinterested she continues to the far corner where another door stands. She turns the knob to find it locked. She turns away from the door looking around the kitchen. On the center island a few items are lined up. Large glass jars filled with different ingredients. White powders, brown grains, a couple of sprigs of a dried plant. Katarina makes her way over to the jars, she looks at the jar filled with brown grains and picks it up attentively. Underneath the jar a small brass key sits. She swipes it off the island quickly, replacing the jar. She checks around the kitchen again, reaffirming the emptiness and turns to the locked door again.

She places the key in the keyhole clumsily.

"I'm locked."

Katarina jumps and spins around, checking the kitchen again, dropping the key with a small metallic clatter. But there's no sign of anyone.

"I said, I'm locked." The voice comes again.

"Excuse me?" Katarina continues to scan the kitchen for the source of the voice.

A silence falls over the kitchen again, Katarina kneels down to retrieve the key from the floor, keeping her eyes up for any movement.

"Hello?" She calls out through the kitchen again.

"Didn't you hear me girl? I said I'm locked."

Katarina turns around to look at the door again. A pair of eyes staring at her from the doorknob. She falls back immediately into a sitting position. Her eyes grow wide in disbelief.

"You need a key to unlock me." The doorknob says to her again.

Katarina fumbles with the key in her hands, holding it up for the doorknob to see. He scrunches up the knob that sits where the nose is on it's face.

"No. Not that key. That's the wrong one." The doorknob man says, looking away from her.

"Oh. Do you know what this key is for then?" Katarina asks incredulously.

"No. But it is NOT my key." The doorknob says snobbishly.

Katarina stands up slowly, gazing at the knob, she brushes off her nightgown gently.

"It's rude to stare." The doorknob says again, rolling his 'R'.

Katarina glares at the doorknob before turning away to replace the key under the brown grain jar. She places her hand on top of the jar, not focusing on anything.

"You need MY key if you wish to enter." The doorknob states behind her.

"I understood you the first time." Katarina says bluntly.

"Then why don't you go get it girl."

Katarina turns on her heal, looking over her shoulder slightly, glaring at the door.

"You, yourself are rather rude, for a doorknob." She says mockingly, also rolling her 'R'.

The doorknob scoffs and snorts.

"I am not the one pulling on YOUR nose, and trying to use the WRONG key, girl." The doorknob retorts with a haughty tone of voice.

Katarina rolls her eyes and turns away from the doorknob, gazing around the kitchen again. A thought occurs to her and she turns around to the doorknob again.

"Do you know where your key is?" She asks.

The doorknob sniffles and looks away from Katarina.

"You do not know where it is? Then why should you enter? An INTRUDER and RUDE? My word." The doorknob rambles off.

Katarina glares at the doorknob before giving up and stomping off. She exits the kitchen swiftly, the sound of the doorknob's rant dwindling away.

In the foyer, she looks around at other doorways and chooses to go left to the back of the room at the end doorway. She inspects the doorknob curiously.

"Don't tell me you're a talking doorknob too." She says aloud, searching the faceplate.

She turns the doorknob quickly, a loud click fills the void of the room and the door swings open with ease. Katarina sighs and pushes the door open fully and steps inside, closing the door behind her quickly. The moonlight fills the room to reveal a table in the center of the room, behind it a series of shelves lined with old tattered books. On the center table is a stack of books haphazardly piled. A small window at the far end is slightly cracked, letting in a light breeze. Katarina sidles the wall and makes her way over to the window. She grabs the curtains and closes them hastily. Darkness falls over the room. Suddenly a candle lights itself, sputtering at first. Katarina flattens herself to the wall, her heart pounding in her ears.

She quickly scans the room, now lit by the candle. Only to reveal the room is empty and more shelves filled with more books. A thin layer of dust covers most of them. Katarina walks over to the shelves, scanning each book. Uninterested she turns to the table again with the stack of books, one book lies open on the table. She leans over it slightly, reading the first line of the page:

'_Something has changed. I can't bring myself to forget. To let go. I can't just leave. I have to do something. Everything I do is one step closer…one moment closer to her. I have to do this. I at least have to try._

_There was a time that I would have easily walked away, gone on with my life, living in the moment, continuing my work. But my chest tightens at the very thought of it…_

_Why did I ever ask that green annoyance of a fairy to find her for me….'_

Katarina looks around the table quickly, noticing a small ink pot, and a quill resting above the open book. She returns her gaze to the writing and runs her fingers over the letters, feeling the indentation of the writing. She grabs a hold of the front half of the book and folds it over to look at the cover.

_Journal_

Katarina replaces the book to the open page and looks around the room again to confirm that she remains alone. A coat rack stands proudly in the corner behind her to her left. A long black overcoat hangs from it. Katarina walks over to it and retrieves it from the coat rack. The smell of lilac flowers and nutmeg lingers on it. She holds the coat in both hands, feeling the material and enjoying the lingering scent. The coat is made of a lush short velvet, accented with panels of black leather. She folds the coat over her arm, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, she hesitates for a moment before plunging her hand into the pockets. The first pocket renders empty, but the second one she feels something soft. A small square of cloth. She pulls it out quickly and re-hangs the coat on the rack. She turns the square of cloth over in her hands before unfolding it gingerly. The white cloth is made of cotton, but feels as if it's been rubbed many times by a coarse thumb. It unfolds to reveal two letters sewn into the fabric with gold thread.

_K.C. _

And a small black flower with five petals, and purple center is embroidered underneath the initials.

Katarina inhales sharply, her eyes fixed on the flower.

'_This could mean anything….but it's your initials….and the medicinal flower….No. That's ridiculous.' _Katarina thinks to herself.

She shakes her head at the thought and crumples up the cloth in her hand.

A loud creak echoes throughout the house suddenly. Katarina jumps, instinctively shoving the cloth into her dress at the base of her shoulder strap. She lunges for the candle on the table and covers the flame with her hand, backing herself into the opposite corner of the room. She tries to blow out the candle to no avail.

Footsteps fall through the silence of the room, getting louder and closer to the room she's in. Instinctively she pinches the wick of the candle and the flame dies immediately. The footsteps stop, a squeak from the turn of a boot pierces through. Katarina, still holding the candle, edges her way closer to the door. She strains to listen over the sound of her own heart beating rapidly. The footsteps resume and grow distant and end silently. She crosses the room quickly and sets down the candle on the table, spinning around to return to the door, she grabs a hold of the knob and turns it slowly, trying to stifle all noise, it opens obediently.

Katarina peeks through the crack in the door, looking out into an empty foyer. She slides out swiftly, closing the door behind her. A small click behind her. The footsteps resume above her, the floorboards creaking softly. Katarina bolts under the stairwell across the foyer to the hallway that leads to the living room. The fire dying out in the fireplace she seats herself in front of it and rests her hand on the wood pile, breathing heavily, she places her left hand over her heart, trying to calm herself down. The footsteps descend the stairs quickly. Katarina checks over her shoulder before throwing another log onto the fire. Embers spark up and float up the chimney. She stands herself up and crosses over to the couch, recovering herself into a relaxed position, she looks over her shoulder and the top of the couch to see Jefferson stride in, his black overcoat flaring out behind him, a burgundy vest fitted over a charcoal grey shirt, adorned with a black scarf, tucked in, and his usual black pants and black boots. His blue eyes catch her gaze immediately.

A meek smile plays on his face. He slows his walking pace and stops a few feet behind the couch, next to his large dining table.

"There you are. I was worried that you had somehow left. And, well…." Jefferson says quickly, clearing his throat.

Katarina turns her gaze to the fire, slowly building up. She shakes her head. Going over in her head the previous conversation they had.

Jefferson shifts uncomfortably, pulling his brown bag from his shoulder and placing it on the table. He flips open the flap to the bag and reaches inside, retrieving a small jar, he closes his fingers around it. He looks at his closed hand while closing the distance between himself and Katarina, he rounds the couch end and sits on the far side. He looks down the length of the couch, seeing her feet curled up under her bent legs, to her leaning on her right side against the arm rest, her elbow propped up and her jaw-line resting gently on her hand, her eyes intently searching the flames of the fire in a thought. Her brown hair pulled over to her right shoulder, pooling down, her left hand is curling the ends of her hair around her delicate fingers.

Jefferson looks away, a small warmth welling in his chest. He clears his throat again before holding out the jar to her. She looks over with her eyes only before turning her face towards him. She looks down at the jar in his hand, an odd light shining between his closed fingers. He opens his hand slowly, Katarina sits herself up, watching the odd light grow with exposure.

"I got this for you…." Jefferson says softly and unsure of himself.

Katarina reaches for the bottle, hesitating and hovering her hand above it for a moment before plucking it from his hand. She holds it up in front of her. Inside is a single flower, and it's quivering. It turns in the jar, a small face in the center of the long white petals.

"Oh Miss Kat. This evil man came and snagged me out of my beautiful garden!" The small daisy cries out in a shrill voice.

Katarina jumps up quickly with the jar cradled in her hands.

"Jefferson I need a pot and some soil and water immediately! She'll die!" Katarina exclaims quickly, running to the kitchen, she opens the jar and carefully cradles the daisy in her hands, the daisy's roots exposed.

Jefferson follows her into the kitchen, grabbing the jar from the counter that the daisy was in, he goes outside scooping up some soil from the ground in front of the porch and returns to the kitchen. Katarina snatches the jar of dirt from him and makes a small indent in the soil with her fingers. She places the daisy in the soil and covers her roots with the soil. She looks expectantly to Jefferson, her eyes full of wonder and worry. Jefferson chuckles to himself and reaches over to a glass pitcher on the counter. He pulls it over and lifts it, pouring a bit of water over the daisy.

The daisy sputters and shakes her leaves and petals.

"How rude! He steals me away and then tries to drown me! However do you put up with this atrocious man?" The daisy rants on to Katarina.

Katarina giggles, covering her lips with the tips of her fingers. Jefferson watches her in awe. She turns to him, holding the jar to her stomach, the daisy nuzzling up against her.

"You're a curious man, Mr. Hatter." Katarina says wistfully before carrying the daisy off, out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her bedroom.

Jefferson follows her with his eyes and smiles to himself.

' _It might not be much….but it's a start…'_ He thinks to himself.


	17. Chapter 17

"No kidding?! A journal? He didn't seem to be much of a literary man to me." The daisy exclaims.

Katarina shushes the daisy to be quieter. The daisy giggles and folds her leaves over her face as she sits on the windowsill by the bath tub ledge. Katarina leans over the edge of the tub, closer to the daisy, the water sloshing with her movement. The smell of flowers enveloping the bathroom. Candles line the counter behind her, reflecting off of the mirrors, rendering a calm yet mystical environment with the steam in the air.

"Well what did it say?" The gossipy flower inquires eagerly.

Katarina smiles to herself and then frowns slightly with a furrow to her brows. The daisy straightens out, taken in her expression.

"Was it something ill-worded?" The daisy furthers her inquiry. "I'll have a talk with him if he spoke badly of you!" She huffs, curling her leaves onto her stem as if they were hips.

Katarina shakes her head delicately.

"No. It wasn't bad. Though, it was vague. I don't even know if it was about me at all. It had mention of a girl. Not being able to leave. And something about a green fairy." Katarina shrugs it off and leans back in the warm water.

"Well you're definitely not a green fairy…are you? No, surely not. And you're surely not a weed either. Right? No, of course not." The daisy rambles on.

Katarina side glances at the daisy before sitting up in the tub, drawing her knees to her chest, she wraps her arms around her legs and lays her head on her knees, peering sideways at the flower.

"Daisy… do you think I should believe him?" Katarina whispers.

The daisy perks up at being asked such an important question and stares off into nothingness thinking of her answer.

"Well, what has he done for you not to believe him, besides some assumptions?" The daisy says thoughtfully.

Katarina feels a sharp pain in her chest, and she coughs briefly. Covering her mouth with the tips of her fingers she looks away from the flower to the mystical bathroom. The steam swirling around in the air, glistening in the light of the candles, the flames dancing back and forth. She turns back to the flower.

"Did I tell you that he has a talking doorknob? It's terribly obnoxious and prude." Katarina changes the subject briskly.

The daisy stops moving and looks straight at Katarina.

"A talking doorknob you say? Come to think of it, there was word from a small rude weed girl, she was yellow but clearly was a dandelion, horrible imposters of a flower, she spoke of a doorknob that spoke to her." The daisy continues on with her story as Katarina begins to tune out in deep thought.

"You mean, the doorknob is from Wonderland?" Katarina interrupts the daisy's story of this dandelion girl with a yellow stalk and she was incredibly rude.

"Wonderland?" The daisy asks confused.

"Yes. Well. I suppose that's the name of the place that you're from." Katarina explains further.

The daisy peers around the bathroom again in thought, her petals swaying with her movements. The daisy begins to swish back and forth, as if dancing.

"Is this not the same place?" The daisy asks again. "Does that mean that I'll never be with my girls again?"

Katarina watches the daisy sway back and forth in a mournful lament.

"No, of course not, I'll take you back to the other flowers." Katarina says, a sorrow fills her chest.

The daisy perks up at Katarina's promise and shakes delightfully. A moment of silence passes between them before the daisy studies the expression on Katarina's face.

"You should trust him… he's not as bad as a man as you've made him out to be from your imagination." The daisy states softly before stretching out and closing up her petals around her face.

Katarina's eyes linger on the now sleeping daisy, her mind racing a mile a minute over everything that has happened in the past few days.

'_She's right….'_ Katarina thinks to herself.

A timid knock comes from her bedroom door. She hears it open slowly, a few steps and another knock comes from the bathroom door.

"Kat? I'm going to prepare some food. I was wondering if you'd do me the honor of joining me downstairs." Jefferson's voice sounds shy and anxious.

Katarina shifts in the tub, allowing the water to slosh slightly, indicating that she's in the tub. She leans over the ledge of the tub, peering at the door. She hears Jefferson shift uncomfortably.

"Please." His voice comes again, a little more stronger.

"That sounds lovely, Jefferson." Katarina responds sweetly.

"Oh. Wonderful. And after I have a small surprise for you. About thirty minutes, it'll be ready." Jefferson responds excitedly.

"How will I know it's been thirty minutes?" Katarina teases in response.

"Oh. Umm. Well." Jefferson responds embarrassed.

The bathroom door opens a crack and something gold slides across the floor over to her in the tub. She reaches down and retrieves the familiar pocket watch, as he called it. She opens up the face and looks at the black writings and hands, one hand is ticking monotonously.

"So you see the little hand that keeps moving?" Jefferson's voice drifts to her through the crack.

Katarina looks up to see his hand sticking through the door and pointing in a downwards motion. Katarina returns her gaze to the watch and nods once.

"When that hand has moved over six sections of small notches." Jefferson informs quickly before withdrawing his hand and closing the door.

Katarina nods again and looks up to the closed door. She smiles to herself and palms the pocket watch.

"I've picked something out for you to wear. I'll see you downstairs." Jefferson calls to her.

Katarina looks to the door again and over her shoulder to the still sleeping daisy.

"Did you hear all of that?" Katarina whispers to the daisy.

The flower unfolds her petals and smiles warmly, sleepily. Katarina smiles and crawls out of the bathtub, wrapping herself in the soft fluffy towel. She wrings out her hair into the still full tub before draining it. She crosses to the counter and applies a sweet smelling cream to her skin, blowing out the candles when she finishes and exits the bathroom swiftly. On the bed lay a crimson garment. She ambles over to the garment, still holding her towel tightly around herself.

Katarina finishes the last bite of her roasted potatoes and salmon. She sets her utensils down quietly on her plate and wipes her mouth delicately with her napkin. She peeks up through her eyelashes at Jefferson, whom is watching her intently with a large smile on his face. The dining table is lit up with three tall wax candles, held in crystal holders, a copper and burgundy table cloth drapes the table, and multiple dishes of food sits along the sides of the table. Jefferson is seated at the head of the table, as she is seated to his right, next to him. Katarina covers her lips with the tips of her fingers and blushes.

"This is lovely, Jefferson." Katarina whispers sweetly, she looks along the length of the table.

"Only the best for you." He responds suavely.

Katarina smiles sincerely and flattens out her tight fitting crimson dress over her ribs. Jefferson leans forward and brushes her hair from her shoulder, exposing her ivory skin and a few light brown freckles. The corset crimson dress fits her form perfectly, the skirt a drop waist and breezy. A leafy filigree of the same color crimson covers the material.

She looks up to meet his icy blue eyes. Jefferson clears his throat, becoming consciously aware of himself and leans back in his chair. Wearing his best black vest with dark gray stripes running vertically and his favorite crimson scarf knotted and tucked into his vest. Underneath he wears a black blousy sleeved shirt, and his typical black pants and boots.

"You favor the darker colors." Katarina observes.

Jefferson laughs to himself and looks around the room, noticing all of the darker colored items in his possession. He tilts his head to the side and pushes his bottom lip up into an accepting expression.

"I believe that they contrast the lighter side perfectly, in a harmonious way. Don't you think?" He responds playfully.

Katarina follows his gaze around the room and nods sheepishly.

"I suppose. If you look at it that way." Katarina admits before taking a sip of her sweet red wine.

Placing the glass back on the table she looks over her shoulder to the exit to the foyer and a glint sparks in her eye.

"Ah I see. You're anxious for your surprise. Well I dare say, I hate to disappoint. So alas, m'lady, we shall hurry along to it. If I may?" Jefferson flourishes as he stands, curling his left arm behind his back, he offers her his right hand.

Katarina giggles and takes his hand, he hoists her up out of her seat and leads her to the foyer. Stopping her in the center of it, he grabs her by her shoulders gently and positions her in front of the door. Releasing her from his grasp, he pulls a silver grey cloth from his back pocket and shakes it out before folding it into a long strip. He holds it up to her, she reaches out and touches the fabric, the silky texture glides under her fingertips.

"Do you trust me?" He whispers, imploring her eyes for the answer.

Katarina drops her hand from the cloth and presses it against her stomach. She meets his stare in shock at the question. Jefferson's eyes drop to the cloth and he gently places it over her eyes, circling around her, tying a loose knot. When he's finished he drops his hands to her hair cascading down her back, running his fingers through to the end, with his right hand he rubs his fingers on her bare delicate shoulder. A shiver runs through Katarina's spine and she giggles at the sensation.

Jefferson leans closer to her, the left side of his face brushing against her soft hair and the knot of the cloth around her eyes. He runs his hand along her arm, taking hold of her right above the elbow. He inhales slowly, taking in the sweet flowery scent of her.

"It's ok if you don't trust me. For now." Jefferson whispers.

Her body tenses at his voice, and relaxes immediately. She turns her face to the direction of his, her cheek brushing against his.

"I'll trust you, for now." She whispers in response.

Jefferson takes a step away from her and briskly walks around her, a large grin playing across his lips. He opens the front door, a flood of moonlight spills across the floor to her feet. Jefferson steps outside and draws a dark curtain across his porch. He scurries back inside to Katarina, he gently grabs her left hand and tugs on her. She steps forward with a hesitance before relinquishing the lead of Jefferson. He pulls her onto the porch and stops her outside of the front door. He closes the door, releasing her hand he steps out onto the bottom step of his porch and turns around to face Katarina.

"Alright m'lady. You can remove your blindfold." He states calmly, straightening out his vest by tugging at the bottom of it.

Katarina raises her hands to her blind fold and pushes it up over her eyes. Her eyes light up as a smile spreads across her lips. She steps forward, down the steps and to Jefferson, placing her hand on his arm and her other hand on his chest, she looks around in wonder.

From the trees hangs multiple draping of white fabric, blocking out the moonlight from between the branches. The air filled with flying fireflies, blinking their lights here and there. The garden, once baron, now filled with flowers of night blooming origins. A light mist floating through on a tiny breeze.

Jefferson tenderly wraps his arm around her waist and the other on her hand on his chest, watching her adamantly. Katarina looks up at him and smiles warmly, the fireflies light reflecting in her eyes.

"Jefferson." Katarina says softly. "Let's play a game.."

Jefferson smirks and laughs, looking off into the distance before returning his gaze to her.

"What's the game?" Jefferson asks, a devilish glint in his eyes.

"Catch me if you can." Katarina whispers before playfully pushing away from him and running off through the flowers to her right.

Jefferson stands there stunned, watching her prance off, turning around to catch his eyes, holding onto her skirt with a wide grin on her face.

"I thought that this was a game I was already playing." He calls after her, raising his hands to either side of him before dropping them to slap against his thighs.

Katarina laughs and bends at the knees, sneering at him childishly before straightening out and walking behind a tree gracefully. She turns her back to the tree and leans against it. Breathing in the cool air of the night. She drops her skirt from her hands and rubs her fingers in front of her face, blowing on them for warmth.

"Doesn't it take two players for a game?" She calls back to him.

"Usually. Maybe you just weren't aware of it." Jefferson responds quickly, his voice much closer to her now.

Katarina spins around the tree, peaking around the trunk, she spots Jefferson only a few feet away. She races over to another set of trees, between them grows a patch of white Brahma Kamal flowers. She hops over the flowers quickly and hides behind another tree. Jefferson follows her slowly, swinging his arms back and forth enthusiastically. He stops on the other side of the tree, flattening his back against it.

"My dear Kat, you will not win this game, I am a master at it." He gloats loudly.

Across from him, Katarina appears from behind a tree opposite of him, the flower patch between them. Jefferson looks at her amazed, checking behind the tree he had believed her to be behind. He points at her and laughs to himself.

"Are you actually a real cat and I just don't know it yet?" Jefferson jests in her direction.

She laughs and walks out into the center of the flowers. She shakes her head, looking around at all of the night blooms.

Jefferson leans against the tree again, watching her as she brushes her fingertips on the flower petals, and then looking up to the white fabric draping, illuminated by the fireflies.

"You look like a dream." He blurts out.

Katarina meets Jefferson's gaze swiftly, her cheeks growing warm.

"A dream?" She inquires for details, or an explanation.

"Surreal, I'm afraid to wake up." Jefferson elaborates in a soft tone. "I'm happy to see you like this, but I'd be sad to find out it's not real."

Katarina turns away from him, keeping her eyes downcast. Jefferson's eyebrows knit together, he lurches forward, turning her to face him by her shoulder. Katarina turns towards him reluctantly, looking upwards to his expression, seeing his eyes set in a serious matter. She tilts her head to the side.

"Why do you do that?" Jefferson asks sternly.

Katarina glances away and then back to him, she blinks once in confusion.

"You turn away whenever a compliment is cast in your direction." Jefferson explains, again pushing her hair over her shoulder to expose the ivory skin, he taps her freckles gently.

Katarina slides her hand up to her shoulder, covering her skin, relishing in the feeling of his touch. She turns her face away from his, casting her eyes downwards to the flowers surrounding them. Jefferson becoming annoyed reaches up to tilt her chin upwards to face him. Her eyes shining with uncertainty.

"You can't tell me that this is the first time anyone has given you this type of attention?" Jefferson whisper in disbelief.

Katarina blushes deeply and looks down to Jefferson's chest, she raises her hand from her shoulder and places it over his heart, feeling the coarse material of his vest, and the rapid beating of his heart under her fingertips.

"I don't believe it…" Jefferson says playfully. "Someone as beautiful, as gorgeous, as you could never be unnoticed."

"That's not the issue…" Katarina responds finally, her voice hoarse with emotion. "Everyone knows of my illness. It's a big black mark having this last name."

"Cherish?" Jefferson asks.

"I never told you my surname." Katarina teases, having already known that he knew information about her that she did not relinquish.

Jefferson releases her chin and shoulder, stepping back ashamed of himself, having revealed something he shouldn't have. Katarina turns away from him, she looks up to the trees and fireflies, breathing in deeply. She pulls her hair over her shoulder and begins twisting it around her hands.

"Jefferson, let's play another game…" She says softly. "The question game again.."

Jefferson drops his arms to his sides, feeling dejected yet again. He makes a small humming sound for her to continue.

"What was the most beautiful thing you ever saw that made you want to live here?" Katarina asks meekly.

Jefferson's body stiffens at the question, he looks away from the back of her, his eyebrows furrowing, searching for the answer. He kicks at the flowers in thought. One lie, one truth.

"The most beautiful thing I ever saw, was a sunset, over the valley. It was a crisp autumn day, the breeze was chilly, and the sunset had a mystical glow to it, everything was bathed in this golden light. Leaves were blowing around in the streets. And there was a festival in town. It was more so the feeling of it all.." Jefferson drifts off, clearing his throat, he loosens his scarf around his neck. "On the other hand… one day I was traveling through a market, admiring all of the little trinkets made by the town folk, I managed to drop my hat, this breeze scooped it up and it rolled away from me, I chased after it. To my surprise a young girl scooped it up, she was dressed in a dark blue cloak, had a basket of flowers with her. She held out the hat for me and giggled at the situation. I thanked her deeply and rather obnoxiously. My hands clapped together in front of me, a knee bent and everything. I retrieved the hat from her, and the most beautiful thing I ever saw, that made me stay in this town…."

Katarina's entire body tenses up as she recalls the memory. A feeling of recognition fills her entire chest. It had been two years, and she had forgotten completely. She held her breath, waiting for the ending of the story.

"Was you. " Jefferson finishes almost inaudibly.

Katarina finally exhales, the words ringing in her ears. Her body feeling numb, she struggles to find a suitable gesture. Jefferson reaches for her, placing his hand gently on her exposed shoulder. Little bumps form on Katarina's skin. Jefferson runs his hand down her arm and tugs gently. Katarina reluctantly turns around to face him, peering into his eyes.

Jefferson loses the words immediately, starring into her golden hazel eyes. He searches for any hint of emotion from her face, only finding shock. An ebbing feeling of rejection begins to fill his thoughts, the ache in his chest makes him want to groan, but nothing emits from him. Finally accepting the silence of rejection, he releases her from his grasp. Katarina feels more shocked from his release as she watches his face fall as he begins to look downwards to the remaining space between them.

Katarina reaches up and tenderly cups his cheek, Jefferson looks up suddenly, a hint of hope sparkling in his now dark blue eyes.

"You're a mad man, Jefferson." She whispers in a soft tone.

Jefferson blinks repeatedly, clenching his jaw for the next words out of her mouth.

'_Will it work…. Will she be cured…'_ Jefferson thinks to himself, almost terrified. '_Screw it.'_

He hastily reaches up, weaving his fingers through her hair and pulls her to him, kissing her thirstily. Katarina tenses up at the sudden action and then relaxes, placing her hands on Jefferson's chest, tipping up on her toes, leaning into him, relinquishing into the kiss.

A large pulse radiates from them, knocking the fireflies and flowers outwards from them as if a large gust of wind knocked them from their senses unexpectedly.


	18. Chapter 18

**_Many years later….._**

"Isn't she beautiful?" Katarina whispers softly.

Jefferson looks down at his pale wife, cradling a bundle in her arms. She's rocking the bundle gently, peering down into her arms as she lays down on their bed. He sits on the edge of their bed and leans over his wife's lap, looking down into the bundle at the opening. A beautiful newborn girl looks up at him, with Katarina's golden hazel eyes. His heart flutters at the sight of his daughter, a wide grin spreads across his lips.

"Gorgeous." Jefferson manages to utter out in complete awe.

Katarina holds out the bundled up baby girl to him. Jefferson sits up quickly, repositioning himself uncertainly. Katarina giggles and leans towards him, passing off their daughter into his awkward cradled arms. She taps his elbow, signaling for him to relax. He sinks into his position, holding his daughter protectively.

"What should we name her?" Katarina asks sweetly, pushing back the white blanket wrapped around her daughter to get a better view of her face.

Jefferson peers into his daughter's eyes, she blinks and makes a gurgling sound.

"Grace." Jefferson says the first thing that pops into his mind.

Katarina leans back and smiles, a small tear streaming down her cheek, she wipes it away with the back of her frail hand.

"I love it. Our little Grace." Katarina responds with a smile.

"NO! Kat! Jonathon!" Jefferson screams into the disappearing purple vortex.

His top hat stops spinning and rests on its side in the dirt. Jefferson crawls over to it, grabbing it by the brim, angrily peering into it. He stands up immediately, with his hat in hand, turning to the two people now standing behind him. A fire blazing in his eyes, he glares into the faces of a small girl with blond hair reaching her shoulders in a blue dress, and a man dressed in a red and black checkered uniform.

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!" He screams at them.

The blond girl jumps away from him, cowering under the weight of his words.

"WE are going BACK. And YOU will stay there!" Jefferson orders angrily, his eyes crazy.

The blond girl turns away immediately and begins to run away from him. Her blue dress flapping behind her. The man in the red and black uniform turns in an opposite direction and bolts. Jefferson looks back and forth between the two, in a quick decision he chases the man off into the thick woods. It couldn't be too hard to find a young blond girl, no matter where she went.

Jefferson bounds over a fallen tree, clumsily ambling through growing ferns after the man.

The image of his wife and her younger brother being dragged away by guards as he looks back from the looking glass repeating in his mind. Her eyes pleading for help as she clutches her younger brother by his shirt. Jefferson shakes his head, trying to clear his mind and focus on chasing the man. Jefferson's cloak catches on a branch and it stops him in his tracks. He turns around hastily, tearing his cloak from the branch. He spins around, searching for the man, but he's vanished. Jefferson begins to run off in the direction that he last saw the man, clambering over fallen trees and turning here and there, searching for any movement.

He realizes that he's fallen short of breath. He stops, finally realizing that he won't find the man. And even if he did, what was he to do. He drops his hat on the forest floor, it rolls into a small pile of fallen dead leaves. The breeze catches the tail of his cloak. Jefferson drops his hands to his side, his eyes fixed on the ground. His body trembling, the truth finally sinking in.

'_The same number of people that go in, must come back…the hat's rules….They're gone…she'll execute them…she'll kill them even before I get back….and I can't get a hold of those other two, the girl and the knave…..They're gone. I've lost them…..'_Jefferson thinks wildly to himself. '_I just need two replacements. I can bring two people there and leave them behind, rescuing Kat and Jon. Yeah that'll work.'_

Jefferson spins around quickly, retrieving his hat with haste. He looks around him, trying to navigate his way back to the road. Tall maple trees surround him, the canopy of leaves blocking the sky. He determines that he's lost, no wonder he couldn't find the knave. Raking his fingers through his hair, he exhales heavily.

'_They'll be dead before you can make it back at this rate.'_ An unwelcome thought rears it's ugly head in Jefferson's thoughts.

"Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin. Rumplesti-" Jefferson begins mumbling in a panic.

"I heard you the first time, laddie." A childish voice says from behind Jefferson.

Jefferson turns around to come face to face with the Dark One. His greenish gold skin shining at him, those dead toad-like eyes peering at him in an annoying manner. Jefferson grabs him by the shoulders and a nervous laugh erupts from him. Rumple raises his hands, pushing Jefferson's hands off of his reptile skin style jacket. He steps back cautiously, catching the look in Jefferson's eyes.

"You look to be a man of desperation." Rumple hisses through his teeth.

"Look, I don't have much time. Kat and Jon are trapped in Wonderland. I need two people, I don't care who they are, as replacements." Jefferson explains wildly.

Rumple props his elbow on a shelfed arm in mid-air and taps his cheek. He walks a few steps, keeping his eyes on Jefferson's movements.

"And how do you suppose I acquire these people. Last I checked, you were the one to be acquiring unusual items for others. I can't make people appear out of no where." Rumple finishes with a sickly sweet taunting giggle.

Jefferson stops and stares at Rumple, a look of menace overcoming his face.

"Yes you can. I've seen you do it. I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME. JUST MAKE IT HAPPEN." Jefferson growls his words out at Rumple.

"So what? You can abandon two unsuspecting people in Wonderland, leading the lambs to their slaughter?" Rumple replies in an agitated tone.

Jefferson realizes what he's asking, his shoulders sink, the impact of what he was going to do to save his wife. The lengths he would have gone to.

"And what of your sweet little babe?" Rumple points out matter-o-factly.

Jefferson's body tenses with instant rage.

"What about her?" Jefferson sneers out.

"Why don't you take her, you'll have to choose one to save though, of course. I mean you can always make anot-" Rumple starts to ramble on.

"No. Never. Not an option." Jefferson interrupts, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Then don't ask me to do that to another family. We've all lost people." Rumple growls out, making his point before vanishing in a puff of lavender smoke.

Jefferson stares at the spot that Rumplestiltskin vanished from. His heart feeling constricted in his chest. In a instant he rips at his vest, popping all of the gold buttons from them, sending them off in other directions, he places his hand over his heart before turning to lean against a tree. His breathing ragged and short.

"They're gone…this can't be happening. It's all my fault. I couldn't save her." Jefferson says aloud to himself as it sinks in.

"They're gone."

Jefferson weakly walks up to his large home, dragging his feet up the dirt path. He looks up to the dark windows of his home. Night has fallen over this small town in the Enchanted Forest. He looks around the yard at the night blooming flowers he had once planted for his wife. His chest aching with every memory, he can almost see her now, running through the flowers in her crimson dress, her face full of light. And that moment. That one moment he knew, he knew that he would love her forever, and receive her love in turn. That one moment he saved her, and how she had actually saved him.

"Papa! I'm home!" A small child's voice calls to him.

Jefferson turns around to see his five year old daughter running up the path to him, her friend's parents at the path waving at him. He waves back unenthusiastically. Grace finally catches up to him and raises her arms upwards to him. Jefferson scoops her up and holds her tight. His heart sinking every minute.

"Papa? Where's momma and unca Jon" She asks innocently.

Jefferson holds his breath as he hurries into his home, closing the door behind him, still clutching Grace closely to him. He leans against the door and slides down into a sitting position, burying his face in his daughters light brown hair, like his. Grace cradles her father's head, a small panic rising in her heart.

"Papa? Where's momma?" She asks more quietly this time.

Jefferson hearing the question for a second time can't hold it in any longer, he begins to sob into his daughter's hair, holding her tighter to him.

"Papa? Papa? Where's momma?" She ask again, tugging on his hair slightly.

Grace squirms out of her father's grasp and begins to look around the dark home.

"MOMMA?" She calls into the empty house, she breaks into a run, searching the home, calling for her mother repeatedly.

Jefferson leans his head against the front door, dropping his hands to the floor on either side of him. Grace returns to him, pulling on his sleeve at his shoulder.

"Papa?" She asks now, sadly, her eyes filling up with tears.

Jefferson chokes back another sob, his heart breaking all over again at his daughter's distress.

"I'm so sorry..Grace." He whispers.

Jefferson stands outside of his home, his daughter Grace's small hand holding his, a few leather box cases stand around them in the dirt path.

He gazes at his empty home, the windows ablaze with fire. The smoke circles and swirls into the sky. His eyes glossed over, watching the foundation finally collapsing. Grace peers up at her father, seeing the sadness in his face.

"Papa?" She asks in a sympathetic tone.

Jefferson snaps out of his lament and looks down at his daughter. Her mother's eyes staring up at him. He kneels down and cups her cheek with his spare hand, giving her a reassuring smile.

"There's nothing left here for us anymore my dear Grace. But it's ok, I know a wonderful home you'll love. It's surrounded by trees and flowers. Momma's flowers." Jefferson says softly.

Grace nods and picks up the smallest leather case with all her might. Jefferson chuckles to himself, a stray tear sliding down his cheek, his eyes swollen with anguish. He takes the case from Grace and turns to the pile, picking up a basket with flowers and a small pink shell shaped box placed in it. He hands the basket to his daughter in exchange.

"Momma's pretty box." Grace says more to herself.

Jefferson weakly smiles and begins to lift his luggage. Turning his back on his recent home, crumbling to the ground, he looks ahead to the path before him. A wooden cart strung up by a horse stands at the opening, waiting for him. He leads Grace over to the horse and pulls an apple from his pocket, handing it to her.

"Go on, be careful though, the horse will enjoy that." He motions for Grace to feed the apple to the horse.

He rounds the carriage and places the boxes into it, he turns to the last box sitting on the ground. A hat box. He grimaces at it before tossing it into the cart with little to no care.

"Alright Gracey." He calls to his daughter.

Grace runs over to her father gleefully, still holding onto the basket of flowers. He picks her up from under her armpits and lifts her into the cart. She giggles and repositions herself into a sitting position, facing outwards. Her eyes catching the last remnants of their home burning down. The fire jumping from the house to the trees and the flowers in the garden.

"Papa! Momma's night flowers!" She cries out in agony.

Jefferson rests his hands on the cart side, lowering his head, his heart pounding. With a surge of energy he turns to see the flowers on fire in the yard. A strong ache penetrating his chest instantly at the sight. The smoke dark, a figurine of a woman dancing through the flowers passes through his mind. Her smile illuminating resonates in his mind. Jefferson snaps instantly, he runs to the flaming field of flowers.

"KAT?! Get out of there! You'll die!" He screams into the fire, his mind still fogged by the passing image.

"PAPA! NO!" Grace yells from the cart, she's now standing, leaning on the railing.

"Kat! Please!" He screams into the flames again.

Grace crawls over the cart side, tumbling to her knees on the dirt path, the skirt of her brown dress becoming covered in dirt.

"PAPA!" She screams, running towards him.

Grace reaches her father right before he steps into the flames and grabs the sleeve of his copper coat, she pulls with all of her might, falling onto her behind in the dirt. The heat of the fire licking at her face. She squirms with all of her toddler strength. Reluctantly Jefferson turns to his daughter, his eyes becoming clear, he looks around quickly, realizing where he is, he scoops up his daughter and quickly walks back to the cart, breathing heavily.

"Papa? It's not her. She's not there." Grace says softly, patting her father's chest, her eyes burning from the smoke.

Jefferson stops at the cart, placing his daughter in the back again. He rounds the cart and hoists himself up onto the horse, it's eyes wild with fright. He pats the horses neck, reassuring it that it's ok. He turns to look at his daughter, she's now silently crying to herself, cradling the basket of her mothers flowers to her chest. He becomes consciously aware of his outburst.

"I'm sorry, Grace." He whispers.

Jefferson turns away from his daughter, looking ahead at the path before him. He takes one last glance at the growing fire, before ushering the horse forward.

The sound of the fire weakens as they progress on the trail. Jefferson hanging his head lowly, he hears his daughter humming to herself quietly. The sun is rising over the valley, by the time they reach their destination. He stops in front of a small cottage style house. The flowers in the garden flourishing in the sun rays. He hops off of the horse, patting it's neck again. He rounds to the cart and looks to his daughter. She perks up at the house, tall trees growing around it, though the sun spills into the yard peacefully, almost like magic. Jefferson hoists his daughter out of the cart and carries her against his torso. He looks up at the house and a warmth fills his chest. He makes his way up the trodden path to the door, carefully his rests his hand on the door knob.

"Papa?" Grace asks curiously.

"Our new home, Gracey. Do you like it?" He asks, his voice cracking slightly.

Grace nods and hums an acceptance. Jefferson turns the knob to the home, the door swings open with ease. The smell of sweet flowers and spices overwhelm his senses. Grace squirms out of his grasp and stands in the center of the room, looking at the table, then around the kitchen and the living area, a small figurine of a white rabbit on a shelf to her left catches her attention.

"It smells like Momma." She says innocently.

Jefferson stares around blankly at the home. He nods, choking back his sadness for the sake of his daughter.

"Look Papa. It's unca Jon." Grace states, pointing at the white rabbit figurine.

Jefferson looks in the direction in which she's pointing. He walks over to the shelf, retrieving the white rabbit before handing it to his daughter. She takes hold of it gently.

"Why do you think that's your uncle." Jefferson asks curiously.

"I had a dream. Unca Jon was a white rabbit. And Momma! Momma was there too! She was a pretty pink and purple-" Grace starts to explain.

"The sounds lovely, Grace." Jefferson cuts his daughter off, a new wave of anguish coursing through him.

He turns to door and steps out into the fresh air, inhaling deeply, trying to subside his depression. He busies himself retrieving his items from the cart and bringing them into the house. The last item being the basket of flowers. Grace takes the basket from him dutifully. She pulls the pink shell shaped box out of the basket and places it onto the dresser next to the entrance, placing the basket of flowers behind it artfully.

"It should go here, so when Momma comes home, she'll see her favorite things." Grace says innocently.

Jefferson watches his daughter arrange the items, she places the white figurine rabbit next to it.

"Jonathon?" Katarina whispers.

She presses herself against her cell bars, the cold metal pressed against her cheek. She looks around her confinement, hay is spread across the ground and a small window on the opposite wall too high to see out of. A bucket of water sits close to the cell bars. She turns back to the corridor in front of her.

"Jon." She says more loudly.

Katarina sees her brother stir in the cell opposite of her, he stands up and comes closer to his cell bars as well. His eyes shine with the moonlight from her small window. She holds out her hand to him through the bars. Jonathon holds out his hand for her. She drops a small ball that's glowing and swirling into his palm. Jonathon retracts his hands and inspects it closer.

"What is this?" Jonathon asks quietly.

"Our ticket out of an execution." Katarina responds coyly.

Jonathon looks up suddenly, his face lighting up.

"Think small brother. I'll see you on the otherside." Katarina whispers before popping a similar item into her mouth.

Jonathon follows suit. He watches his sister disappear in a plum of pink and purple smoke. Her clothes crumple to the ground and something small wriggling underneath them. A pink and purple striped cat crawls out from the tangle of clothes. It looks up at him and flashes a large grin, it's teeth gleaming. Jonathon begins to laugh before he too transforms.

Katarina crawls through the cell bars with ease, sauntering over to her brother's cell. Out of his pile of clothes pops out a white rabbit, it stands on it's hindquarters and wiggles its nose.

"Oh good, something lucky, we're going to need it." The cat says in Katarina's voice, another large grin spreading across it's face.

The white rabbit winks and dashes off towards the corridor's exit.

The cat and white rabbit cower by the opening, listening carefully. Footsteps grow closer to the door.

"Right when the guard passes, you run. Split up. I'll meet you near the singing flowers. It's closest to the looking glass. So Jefferson won't have to look long to find us, we'll see him first." The cat instructs quietly.

The white rabbit nods his approval.

The door creaks open quickly, and a guard wearing a red and black checkered uniform marches past. The white rabbit looks to the cat with a worried expression, the cat nuzzles the rabbit before sprinting off into the cool morning air. Bounding from an arch in the walkway down onto a tree. Popping out her head carefully, looking back to see the white rabbit fleeing in the opposite direction. A large grin spreads across her face again.

"Oy! What's that there?" A fat boy in the rose garden calls up, pointing to the cat in the tree. "Some kind o' cat?"

"Oh yeah yeah, I see it. Must be one o' them checkered cats." Another fat boy responds, walking up to the tree.

"A what? A chester cat?" The first boy calls back.

"No a checkered cat." The second boy responds. "Or is it a chester cat." He mumbles to himself.

"Oh a chesire cat." The first boy says.

"Cheshire cat?" The second boys says questioningly to himself.

The cat rolls her eyes before sticking her tongue out to the two boys and bounds out of the tree, racing for the exit to the rose garden.

'_I'm coming Grace. Jefferson.'_


	19. Chapter 19

The white rabbit cautiously creeps into the sleeping singing flower garden. He sniffs around, wiggling his nose. He sits back on his hindquarters suddenly, looking around fiercely. The pink and purple cat crawls out from between the flowers, stretching and yawning, before positioning herself in a sitting position. She looks over the white rabbit before bursting into a wide grin. The white rabbit relaxes onto his front paws and nuzzles the cat.

"You made it. I'm glad." The cat says, purring at the white rabbit's affectionate gesture.

The white rabbit curls up at the paws of the cat in comfort.

"You're a remarkable sprinter." The cat says in praise.

"Kat?" The white rabbit looks up to the cat's face.

"Hm? What is troubling you Jonathon?" Katarina asks worriedly.

"Why didn't he come back immediately?" Jonathon asks in a soft tone of voice.

"Well you know the Hat's rules. The same number of people that go through must go back. And those other two went through right before him, cutting us off. He has to get them back, or another two people." Kat blurts out her thought process.

"To leave them here?" Jonathon asks innocently, but with a point to be made.

The pink and purple cat twitches suddenly, reality hitting her strongly. She looks away from the white rabbit, over the tops of the flowers as a breeze brushes them, causing them to sway peacefully. The white rabbit sits up slowly, leaning against the cat.

"He'll think of something." Jonathon reassures his sister, becoming conscious of her hurt.

The cat nods once, still gazing into the distance, her mind running wild of the last look on her husbands face before the looking glass sealed off. Confusion, and instant despair.

"It wouldn't be fair." Katarina speaks up, choking on her words.

The white rabbit turns around, looking behind him, where the looking glass stands. He bounds off over to it, placing a small white paw on the glass, sniffing curiously. The cat looks over her shoulder at him, her eyes squinting.

"If…if we aren't people anymore…maybe we can slip through the next time he comes. Shouldn't be long. Right? It's a part of his business. And I mean he has to come back for the magical gooseberries that we used, for his client. You know?" Jonathon voices his thoughts.

The cat turns away from the looking glass and the white rabbit. Continuing her gaze across the distance, towards the Queen's palace.

"I don't think it works like that, Jon." Kat says blankly.

"Well, can't we be considered as magical items now?" Jonathon asks wistfully.

"No. We aren't items. We are living organisms. We'd have to be dead." Katarina says sternly.

The white rabbit drops onto his front paws, looking over to the pink and purple cat. He hops over to the cat, nudging her gently.

"He'll think of something. He always does… the Mad Hatter." Jonathon says optimistically. "Hey, what was it that those two tweedle-dopes called you? Cheddar cat?"

The cat laughs suddenly, recalling the incident with the two round boys in the rose garden.

"Close enough, they called me the Chesire Cat. That crumbly yellow cheese." Katarina replies, a hint of a laugh in her voice.

"I like it. It suits you." Jonathon responds sweetly.

"Are you calling me stinky?" Katarina teases, hitting the white rabbit in the shoulder with her paw.

Jonathon giggles and shakes his head.

"No. That's not what I mean. You never forget the taste. Wonderland will never forget you." Jonathon continues on in a dreamy voice.

The pink and purple cat shifts on her front paws, scratching at the ground. She looks down the path, seeing an outfit of uniformed Queen's guards.

"Get down." She orders in a whisper.

The white rabbit nudges the cat. Winking.

"Let's give 'em hell." He says in a hushed playful tone.

The cat flashes her chesire grin.

"Whooooo. Whooo are youuuu." The smoking caterpillar asks with a series of O's to a couple near the entrance of the looking glass.

"I hate Wonderland." Jefferson says annoyed.

The pink and purple cat perks up her ears at the recognition atop her tree branch near the path leading to the Queen's keep. She looks over lazily, having been wakened from her afternoon nap. She spots the two visitors passing through. One a man with mousy brown-gold hair, dressed in a copper overcoat, black pants and black boots, the other a woman, dressed in an elegant black gown, her dark brown hair in an updo. The cat only catches the backside of them, before returning to her nap, thinking nothing of it. The couple continue up the path.

"Kat."

The cat perks up her ears again.

"Isn't that your evil man?"

The cat finally stands up on the tree branch, stretching out and clawing at the branch. Looking down to the singing flowers. All of the faces are turned towards her.

"Who? What? I have no evil man." The cat says lazily, stretching out further, rolling onto her back along the branch, looking to the flowers upside down.

"Your husband?" One of the flowers continues.

"Hm. Funny thing, I don't recall. What a curiouser question. Husband." The cat thinks.

"Katarina. Snap out of it. Don't let Wonderland turn you mad as well."

"Who is this Katarina? What a lovely name. Kind of like mine." The cat responds whimsically, stretching out a paw to bat at a leaf.

"It's hopeless. Wonderland has turned her brain to mush. Such a pity. She used to be such a lovely flower sister." A flower says amongst her grouping.

"Poor Grace. Now both of her parents are mad."

The cat gets up angrily. She jumps down from the tree branch, glaring at the flowers.

"Who said that? What did you say?" She implores the flowers.

"I said, missy, Poor Grace, now both of her parents are mad." A morning glory states haughtily.

'_Grace. Grace… Grace?'_ The cat thinks carefully, digging deeper into her mind.

"Your daughter dumb-dumb." A rose says snobbishly.

"Don't know what you're talking about." The cat says, turning away, towards the path that the couple walked down.

She walks slowly, leisurely, as she rounds the curve in the path, she checks over her shoulder, making sure she's out of view of the flowers. She returns her gaze to the path ahead of her, towards the Queen's palace. Checking over her shoulder one last time, she bursts into a run, after them.

The Chesire Cat sits atop a tree, just her head peeking out from the leaves, she watches the couple burn a tunnel into the maze to the Queen's secret building. They retrieve a box and begin to escape. The guards chasing after them, nearly escaping they begin to run back to the looking glass. The cat, curious as ever jumps down and follows at a safe distance in the tall grass along the path. A large group of guards run past her, on impulse she jumps out of the grass, clawing the leg of the last guard, causing him to fall down, he turns over on his side and kicks at her, but her body vanishes, leaving just the remnants of a wide grin.

"Bloody cat. 'Tis a true menace that one." The guard says before scurrying to his feet and following after the other guards.

The cat reappears in a bush ahead of the guards.

"WAIT. Wait wait." She hears Jefferson scream.

She runs towards the looking glass in a panic, only getting there in time to see the man in the copper overcoat being dragged away by guards, and the last ripples of the looking glass settling. A painful ache pierces through the cat. Recognizing the last ripple from somewhere.

A white rabbit runs by, wearing a red vest and a pair of glasses, he scurries away quickly. The cat catches a glimpse of him before he bolts past the man being dragged away by the Queen's guard. She lowers herself to the ground, hiding herself in the tall grass as they pass. When they're well out of sight, the cat steps out into the open path, looking after the entourage.

"What happened? Why is he being dragged off?" The cat asks loudly.

A daisy perks up at her voice, turning to her.

"He got left behind by that woman, she pulled a tiny man out of a box and made him bigger with the mushroom. They went through and the looking glass sealed. Sound familiar?" The daisy asks her, encouraging some hidden meaning.

The cat looks back to the looking glass, searching for what the daisy could be meaning. She shakes her head, glaring her eyes.

"Did you see the rabbit?" The daisy inquires carefully.

"Oh yes. I'm quite fond of his apparel, wouldn't you say it'd look better on me." The cat jests sarcastically.

"You two are close, you know." The daisy continues intrusively.

"You don't say. How curious." The cat remarks before continuing on her way, following after the group of guards, leading back to the Queen's palace.

"Katarina?" The daisy calls after her.

The pink and purple cat turns around intrigued, looking to the daisy.

"Don't you remember? Or is it too late?" The daisy asks mournfully, her petals quivering.

The cat tilts her head to the side, looking over the daisy in a familiar stare. She grins widely.

"That name again. How curious. This day is becoming curiouser and curiouser." The cat responds idly.

"I miss you Miss Katarina." The daisy says again before turning away from the cat.

The cat shakes out her coat and stretches in the sun, she looks up to the sky.

"Such a pity, a waste of a beautiful day, interrupted by unexpected events." The cat drones on before continuing on her path to the Queen's palace.

"Off with his head!"

The cat peeks around the corner of the entrance to the Queen's courtyard, catching the instant the man's head is severed from his body. A painful jolt surges through the cat's chest, she curls up impulsively, removing her eyes from the scene ahead of her.

"I'm late, I'm late, I'm late."

The cat looks up, pain blurring her vision. The white rabbit is scurrying away from the courtyard, holding a golden pocket watch in his paw. He stops, seeing the Chesire Cat, laying alongside the entrance to the courtyard.

"You shouldn't be here." The white rabbit squeaks out hurriedly.

The cat ignores the rabbit and rests her head on her paws, trying to subside the sudden hindering pain. The cat perks up her ears, returning her gaze to the white rabbit, he's wiggling his nose at her, a glazed look over his eyes.

"Isn't that man familiar?" The white rabbit asks, lost in some thought.

"Don't you have to be somewhere?" The cat asks annoyed by the reoccurring questions this day.

"Oh that's right! I'm late!" He regains his composure and scurries off.

The cat brings herself to her feet and takes another look into the courtyard, seeing the guard returning the man's head to his body and escorting him off to the left hallway into the palace. The court disperses into the palace, following the Queen and her guards. She waits for the dust to settle before making her way to the room that they placed the man in. The door firmly shut and locked, the key still in the keyhole.

The cat scrunches up her nose disapprovingly. She jumps into an archway, scanning her surroundings quickly before jumping into the grass, quickly walking along the length of the wall, looking up at the wall for an opening. She spots a small window several feet above her. She grins widely and her body vanishes, reappearing on the window ledge, her grin lingering. She looks down into the room where the man is. Numerous swatches of cloth surround him, along with several hatter tools.

"A hatter?" She asks herself quietly.

The man sits dejectedly in the middle of the room, holding his neck.

"You there. Curious Hatter." The cat calls down to him.

He loops up quickly to the window, his eyes wide. Searching for the source of the voice, his eyes fall upon the pink and purple cat.

"Did you say something cat?" The man asks in curiosity.

"Yes I did. Curious thing, isn't it. What's your name?" The cat asks in a playful tone.

The man looks away from the cat, returning his gaze to the floor.

"Jefferson." He responds meekly.

"And my new friend, Jefferson, why have they imprisoned you here. Interesting cell." She implores, her eyes gleaming, a wide grin spreading across her face.

Jefferson looks up at her, perplexed by her intrusiveness.

"A grinning cat. Great. Just what I needed." Jefferson mocks sarcastically.

"No need to be mad, Hatter." The cat retorts, her grin fading.

Jefferson looks up to the cat, the sun shining on it, blinding him, he blinks multiple times.

"I told you, my name is Jefferson." He growls.

The cat watches Jefferson glare at her, she lays down in the window, deciding to say nothing more at the realization of his misery. Jefferson looks away from her and returns to his lament.

"Will you be staying?" He asks, not looking away from the floor.

The cat feels a strange ache running through her body. She slinks down into the room quietly, she makes her way over to Jefferson, brushing against his arm. She catches the scent of lilac flowers and nutmeg, somehow reminding her of something forgotten, or lost.

Jefferson reaches out to the cat, holding his hand out, palm down. The cat sniffs his hand suspiciously before rubbing herself against it and then crawling under his hand. Jefferson rests his hand on her soft fur. He glances over at the cat, catching her interesting coloring.

"Pink and purple?" He asks half-interested.

The cat rolls over under his hand, her golden eyes meeting his icy blue eyes. She examines his face for a moment, a small smirk growing in the corner of his mouth.

"Do I know you?" The cat asks, her eyes glazing over.

"Well you do now."


	20. Chapter 20

Jefferson sits at his table, working furiously over the construction of a new hat, he mumbling to himself. The cat appears in the window, the moon full and shining above her. Her eyes glowing, catching the sight of Jefferson working, a small fire burning next to him in a cast iron stove.

She purrs loudly, the sound echoing into the room. Jefferson ceases his work and looks up to the window immediately.

"I can't get any of these to work. It's impossible in a place with no magic. I don't have the supplies I need. This is the wrong fabric. These scissors are dull. I can't get it to work." He rambles on angrily.

The cat tilts her head to the side, watching Jefferson losing it. She jumps down from the window, onto a new pile of cloth swatches. She wiggles her toes on the material, grimacing at the unsavory texture before pouncing onto Jefferson's table. She carefully walks around the items, making sure not to touch any of them.

"There's magic here." The cat states.

Jefferson lowers his hands from his unfinished hat, and looks at the cat. Two oddly shaped and crudely fashioned hats sit atop his head in a haphazard stack.

"What do you mean?" Jefferson asks grimly.

"There's magic in this place." The cat spells out, emphasizing each word.

Jefferson grabs up the cat, cradling her in his arms, humming to himself.

"Where? How? What is it?" He asks in a bewildered tone of voice.

The cat makes a low growl, Jefferson begins to pet her absent mindedly. He searches around the room for something unseen, he begins to rock back and forth in his seat.

"I have to get back to Grace. I have to get it to work. These hats, one of them needs to work." Jefferson begins mumbling to himself.

The cat vanishes from his tightening grip and reappears in the window, lounging on the ledge. Jefferson resumes as if he's still holding her, petting at nothing. The cat watches him sadly, unsure of where the feeling is coming from. She turns away from him, looking out over Wonderland.

"Some tea would be lovely, don't you think, Cat?" Jefferson says, finally glancing down at his arms to see that the cat is no longer with him, he looks up to the window immediately.

He shakes his head, trying to focus, the hats falling from his head. He clenches his hands repeatedly, observing the room. He straightens out his vest, brushing off his sleeves curiously.

"Chesh?" Jefferson looks up to the window again.

The cat lazily turns to look over her shoulder, observing Jefferson carefully.

"Tea you say?" The cat responds nonchalantly.

Jefferson clears his throat, loosening the scarf he made from spare fabric, concealing the newly formed scar around his neck. The cat's eyes flash in the light. A wide grin spreading across her face, her body vanishes as her grin remains, resonating before disappearing as well. Jefferson sighs, becoming aware of his loneliness once again. The cat leaves often, reappearing at odd intervals of the day.

Jefferson returns to his seat at his small work table, staring at the hat in front of him. He looks up and across the room filled with stacks of hats and swatches of material surrounding him. He drifts off in thought, remembering his daughter. He closes his eyes, imagining her playing with her toys, having a tea party.

The cat reappears in the window, a large bundle hanging from her mouth. She finds Jefferson in the room, his eyes closed, his brow furrowed, and a haunting smile on his face, turning to a sadder expression. She returns to the work table, gently releasing the bundle from her jaws. Jefferson opens his eyes to her standing on the table. He looks at the bundle before him and reaches up to open it carefully. A porcelain teapot, decorated with small pink flowers and green vines around the handle and spout, two cups, one a light blue color with a white ring around the brim and the other an orange cup decorated with purple polka-dots, and a small parcel is found in the bundle. Jefferson retrieves them carefully, placing them upright on the work table. He opens the small brown paper parcel, smelling it curiously.

"Mmm chamomile." Jefferson says, admiring the tea.

He stands up suddenly, retrieving his rationed bucket of water for the day, pouring it into a clay cup. He replaces the bucket and carefully places the clay cup into the cast iron stove in the fire. He pours some of the tea leaves into the porcelain tea pot, folding the brown parcel he shoves it into his vest pocket.

"You know, I have a wife. Or.. had a wife. This was her favorite tea." Jefferson recalls softly.

The cat watches Jefferson make the tea, her ears perking up at his story. She lays down on the work table, knocking a spool of thread to the floor accidentally. She looks down to it before deciding it's not important and begins to swish her tail, the tip of her tail brushing Jefferson's arm.

"Had? Did she leave?" The cat asks intrigued, not understanding fully his intended meaning.

Jefferson smiles and shakes his head before leaving back in his chair, looking up to the ceiling.

"No. She was lost. It was my fault." Jefferson words carefully.

"What was her name?" The cat asks, her eyes gleaming.

"The same as yours. Well, not the same, but close to." Jefferson starts. "Her name was Katarina Cherish."

The cat tilts her head to the side, squinting her eyes.

"Curious thing. I've been hearing that name a lot lately." She says, thinking aloud.

Jefferson locks his eyes on the cat, she's looking away from him in thought, her tail still swishing against his arm.

"Did you know her?" Jefferson asks with hope in his voice.

The cup in the cast iron stove starts sizzling as water boils over. Jefferson jumps up quickly, retrieving the cup with a square of thick cloth over his hand, he pours the water into the teapot careful not to spill. He places the lid on the pot and sets the cup down on the stone floor, before reseating himself.

"Anyway, she was here. She was captured by the guard. Her and her brother, Jonathon. I never saw them again." Jefferson recalls, his voice devoid of emotion.

The cat eyes him suspiciously from the corner of her eyes. She shifts uncomfortably.

"There are no other prisoners here besides you. And I don't believe I've run into anyone by those names." The cat says carelessly.

Jefferson sinks in his seat, he turns to pour the tea into the two cups. He slides a cup over to the pink and purple striped cat.

"Give it time to cool." Jefferson says sternly.

The cat looks at the orange and purple polka-dotted cup, watching the steam rise from it's contents. She looks to Jefferson, he's holding his cup in both hands, blowing the steam away before taking a timid sip. He hums his appreciation, taking another sip before lowering the cup to his lap. The low light from the fire reflecting in his blue eyes. The cat stands up slowly, staring at his eyes, her nose scrunching up at an unrecognizable feeling. Jefferson turns his gaze to the cat, now standing and looking to her lingering stare. He cocks his head to the side, one eyebrow raising at her.

"What is it?" Jefferson asks.

The cat shakes her head to the answer.

"Something seemed familiar." She answers finally.

"About Kat and Jon?" Jefferson asks hopefully.

The room's door clicks suddenly, echoing in the silence between them. The cat jumps at the sound and her body vanishes quickly. Jefferson grabs a sheet of cloth and covers his work table immediately, grabbing a hat from one of the precarious stacks, and begins twisting the brim in his hands, peering inside of it. The door swings open, revealing nothing in the doorway. He stands up slowly, looking at the moonlight pouring in, at the base of the door stands a white rabbit in a red vest, carrying a small royal purple bag in his mouth. He closes the door and the sound of it locking behind him follows. He hops over to the work table, he stops, standing on his hindquarters, grabbing the pouch from his mouth, he begins to sniff the air.

"Rabbit." Jefferson addresses him.

The rabbit regains his composure and holds out the pouch to Jefferson.

"Not in such a hurry today?" Jefferson inquires, retrieving the pouch, opening it hastily.

The rabbit returns to smelling the air, he hops around in a circle, perking up his long ears. He glances to the window.

"You get a lovely smell of flowers in here. Flowers. And something else. It reminds me of someone I used to know." The rabbit searches his mind.

Jefferson turns to the rabbit, watching him hop around the room, sniffing at the swatches of fabric.

'_I had a dream about unca Jon. He was a white rabbit. And Momma! Momma was there too!'_ Jefferson recalls his daughter telling him about her dream she had the night that Katarina and Jonathon were taken.

"Do you have a name, Rabbit?" Jefferson asks randomly out of thought.

The rabbit turns around, distracted from his continuous search of the smell he had been following. He hops to Jefferson, looking at him suspiciously, leaning up on his front paws towards Jefferson, wiggling his nose wildly.

"Nope." The rabbit says abruptly, leaning back on his hindquarters, placing his paws on the breast of his vest. "Not that I recall."

Jefferson turns away from the rabbit, twisting the pouch in his hand. The rabbit hops over to a spool of thread on the ground, picking it up between his two front paws. The smell of sweet flowers filling his senses. He stares blankly at the spool in his paws, his mind becoming foggy.

The cat's gleaming eyes appear from the corner of the room, watching the rabbit intently. Jefferson catches the glowing eyes and follows them to the rabbit, he glances back and forth between the two before making a gesture for the cat to go away. He drops the purple pouch on the work table and quickly walks over to the cat.

"Go away. You don't want to get caught." He whispers to the gleaming eyes, her body not present.

The eyes look to him and then back to the white rabbit, still lost in a daze, her eyes fade away slowly. Jefferson picks up another hat from a stack, turning it over multiple times in his hands. He returns to the work table, next to the rabbit. He pokes the rabbit in the back with the toe of his boot. The rabbit jumps up startled, dropping the spool of thread, he scampers to retrieve it again and holds it out to Jefferson.

"My apologies. I must be going." The rabbit pulls a gold pocket watch from his vest pocket, checking the time. The hands of the clock aren't moving.

Jefferson takes the spool of thread from the rabbit, watching him carefully.

"I can fix that for you." Jefferson offers.

"That would be lovely, it's had a weird tick for a long time now." The rabbit says, stuffing the watch back in his pocket before hopping towards the door. It unlocks from the outside, swinging open to let the rabbit out and closing behind him, relocking itself.

Jefferson drops the hat and rushes to the door, placing his hand on the door, he pushes against it with his full force, backing up and reapplying his strength and weight. The door doesn't budge against his efforts. He turns around, leaning his back against the door, sliding down into a sitting position.

The cat appears in front of him, staring at him out of curiosity. Jefferson slides his feet out from underneath him, almost kicking her, she jumps out of the way quickly, looking back at his feet, swishing her tail angrily.

Jefferson dazes off at the mountainous stacks of hats surrounding him. A blank expression displayed on his face. The cat observes him closely, not moving from her place near his feet. His face begins to contort into a look of rage, he leans forward abruptly and screams into the room, at nothing in general. He gets up hastily and begins to knock over the stacks of hats. The cat vanishes and reappears on the window ledge, watching him, her heart aches painfully, her mood turning sour at the sight of Jefferson losing his mind. She turns away from him, looking to the ground outside.

"I have to get it to work. I need to go home to Grace. She's waiting for me." Jefferson begins to mumble as he kicks through all of the fallen hats.

He plops himself down in his seat, pulling the cloth off of the work table, he picks up the hat there and continues to look over it. The cat side glances in his direction before jumping down into the yard. She walks away slowly from the building.

"Get it to work. Get it to work. Get it to work." She hears Jefferson repeating until his voice fades away the more distance she puts between her and the building.

'_My poor friend….my poor Jefferson.'_ She thinks to herself suddenly, the thought unbidden.

The pink and purple striped 'Chesire' cat aimlessly walks along the path, the sun is beginning to rise over Wonderland. In her mind the scene of Jefferson in his locked room replaying repeatedly. An unbidden yowl releases itself from her lungs, the sound full of anguish and confusion. The singing flowers awaken and stretch in the morning rays of light. A lone daisy turns to the cat, watching her sadly prowl along. The daisy flutters her petals and leaves, catching the cat's weary eyes.

"Why such the long face?" The daisy inquires playfully, trying to cheer up the cat.

The cat ignores the question and continues on her way towards the looking glass. The flowers watch her pass without a word, not even a single quip. The cat finds herself passing the magical mushrooms, where the smoking caterpillar usually perches himself, but today he is absent. She comes face to face with the looking glass, reflecting her downtrodden self in it. She peers into her own golden eyes. Before her, the looking glass shimmers, in front of her sits a woman with light brown, softly-curled hair, her eyes the same golden color as the cats. She's wearing brown tight pants, with knee high dark brown leather lace boots. A crimson tunic, the sleeves ending at her elbows and a charcoal grey cloak tied at the neck draping around her shoulders. Her face appears gentle and kind, a small smile on her dusty rose colored lips, her hair cascades forward over her shoulders, her hand reaching out towards the cat with her slim delicate fingers. The cat returns the gesture with her paw, it stops on the looking glass' surface, as does the woman's hand. The woman retracts her hand out of confusion as does the cat. The looking glass shimmers again and the woman is gone.

"I know her." A voice from behind the cat speaks up.

The cat turns around to find the white rabbit sitting on his hindquarters, blinking at the looking glass.

"She comes to see me sometimes." The cat relinquishes the truth easily.

"She comes through?" The white rabbit asks doubtfully.

"No. She never comes through." The cat admits.

"I know her." The white rabbit repeats again. "She's beautiful. And she feels like home."

The cat gets to her feet and stretches out, yawning. She walks past the white rabbit, rubbing against him as she goes. The white rabbit watches her as she leaves him. He hops to follow her. The cat's tail twitches behind her.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" The cat asks uninterested.

"Don't you?" The white rabbit returns the slight as he continues to follow the cat.

The cat stops in her tracks and looks up to a tree ahead of her before leaping up to the trunk, clawing her way up to a branch. The white rabbit leans up against the tree trunk, peering up at the cat, he wiggles his nose. Frustrated he hops in a circle, returning to his previous position, leaning his front paws on the tree trunk.

"I know you." The white rabbit states boldly.

"Yes. And I know you." The cat responds quickly, becoming aggravated with the white rabbit.

"No. But I know you." He repeats.

The cat sighs heavily, finally looking down at the rabbit. Glaring at the white rabbit, her tail begins to twitch angrily. The white rabbit sits back, placing his paws on the ground, he continues to gaze at the cat. An image of the woman from the looking glass sitting on a uprooted tree root with the sun setting in front of her flashes in his mind.

"Do you know her name?" The white rabbit asks. "I can't seem to recall it. But I remember her."

The cat huffs and looks away from the rabbit, towards the Queen's palace. Becoming bored with the white rabbit. He wiggles his nose, awaiting an answer patiently.

"I think her name is the same as yours. Or at least similar." The white rabbit continues to think aloud, lifting one long ear and alternating with the other.

The cat stretches out on the tree branch, rolling over onto her back, continuing to gaze off in the distance. A lazy attempt of ignoring the white rabbit now.

"Cheshire. Chesher. Chesh. Cheri. Cherish?" The white rabbit begins to ramble through the sounds. "Cherish."

"Peculiar behavior you're exhibiting, Rabbit. Curiouser and curiouser." The cat states observantly.

"Cherish Cat. Cheshire Cat. Cat Cheshire. Cat Cherish." The white rabbit continues, lost in a daze.

The cat rolls over, leaning up on her extended front paws, she looks down at the white rabbit. He's sitting, staring off at nothing, a glossy look over his eyes. The cat gets to her feet and circles around on the branch before jumping down, landing in front of the white rabbit, startling him out of his daze.

"I know that name." The cat says unexpectedly.

The white rabbit wiggles his nose and perks up.

"You do? That's the woman's name right?" The white rabbit asks hopefully.

The cat looks away from the white rabbit, towards the singing flower garden. Her heart beginning to pound in her chest, she focuses on the sound. Two thumps, then one, two, one, two, one, one, one, one, one. The cat turns towards the looking glass again, the white rabbit following her movements. She breaks into a sprint to the looking glass. Halfway to the looking glass, it shimmers, and the woman reappears, her back turned to the cat, she turns around at the sound of something unheard. She looks down at the cat, a wide grin spreading across her face, she kneels down, extending her arms to the cat.

"Katarina." The cat whispers as she makes it to the looking glass, placing her front paws on the looking glass.

The woman beams, a faint giggle resonating through the air, the woman's ghostly image sinks through the looking glass, turning into a pink and purple smoke, enveloping the cat.

The white rabbit hops over to the cat quickly, panicking. He looks to the looking glass then down to the cat laying curled up in a ball before it. He places his front paws on the cat, examining his friend.

The cat blinks and exhales softly, a small smile playing on her face. The rabbit wiggles his nose in confusion.

"Jonathon." The cat says in Katarina's voice.

The white rabbit staggers back, the sound of her voice ringing through his ears. His eyes clearing up from an endless fog. The rabbit jumps on the cat unexpectedly, nuzzling against her furiously.

"Kat!"

The cat races along the path, her brother running beside her, his red vest missing. The cat is carrying and uprooted daisy in her mouth, her petals fluttering from the pace. The cat stops outside of the courtyard, peering around the yard quickly, spotting two guards patrolling the hallway, leading to Jefferson's hold. The white rabbit stands up on his hind quarters and begins to walk casually into the yard. He nods to the two guards and they sigh in relief and begin to exit the courtyard to the hallway to the right, leading to the Queen's palace. The white rabbit is carrying a small brown parcel in his paws. Before entering the hallway, he nods to the cat, turning left.

The cat bounds into the yard and up to the window, the daisy still held delicately in her jaws. She looks around Jefferson's room, the hats stacked up again around him. He's sitting at his work table, resting his head on his arms that are propped up. His eyes are closed. The cat jumps down into the room and quietly walks over to the table, she spots the orange and purple polka-dotted tea cup next to the sleeping Jefferson. She jumps up stealthily, looking into the tea cup. It's empty. The cat places the daisy upright in the tea cup, winking at her, the daisy folds her leaves over her tiny mouth, stifling a giggle. The cat grins widely and vanishes, returning to the window ledge. Jefferson's door unlocks and opens, letting in the rabbit, the door closing loudly behind him and relocking. Jefferson sits upright immediately, looking around the room in a dazed expression. He spots the daisy on his work table, and then the white rabbit walking over to him. He snatches the daisy in her tea cup off of the table and hides her behind his back. The rabbit places the brown parcel at his feet and turns to leave.

"Is this your watch?" Jefferson asks suspiciously.

The cat swishes her tail in excitement. The white rabbit leaves the room swiftly without a word. Jefferson looks at the parcel confused, he glances at the door before returning the daisy to his table. He bends over from his seat, retrieving the parcel and opens it. Fresh soil spills out into his hands. He turns quickly to put it in the tea cup for the daisy.

"Is that better?" He asks the daisy.

"Some water would be nice." She admits politely.

Jefferson points his index finger in the air before turning in his seat grabbing up his bucket of rationed water, he pours a little water over her. She flutters her petals, shaking some water droplets off of her. She giggles at the memory of the first time he drenched her in water at his home. Jefferson smiles, remembering the same memory.

"How did you get here?" Jefferson asks incredulously.

He looks to the door suddenly, a smile spreading on his lips. He points to the door.

"The rabbit?" He asks amused. "I never…I never told him about you though."

The daisy smiles, without saying anything. Jefferson drifts off in thought, staring at the work table.

"His old soul remembers." The daisy says softly.

Jefferson's head snaps up and then back to the door.

"Katarina sent me." The daisy continues.

Jefferson's face grows pale, he continues to stare at the daisy. His hands begin to shake, his skin blanching.

"She's alive?" He whispers in disbelief.

The daisy nods happily. She uncurls one of her leaves, dropping a glowing gooseberry onto the table. Jefferson picks up the berry in his trembling fingers. He picks up the daisy in her tea cup and spins her around, she laughs happily. Jefferson in his enthusiasm overturns his work table, knocking his hatter supplies to scatter across the stone floor.

The cat on her window ledge smiles warmly.

Jefferson stops, laughing loudly, holding his tea cup close to him.

"What is she? Where is she? Does she know that I'm here? We can be together again." Jefferson asks excitedly.

The daisy droops slightly in disbelief. The window directly behind her. The silhouette of the cat standing on the window ledge catches Jefferson's eyes. He focuses on the cat, her glowing golden eyes piercing through him, a glint sparkles in them.

"Hurry." Katarina says softly through the cat.

The door to Jefferson's hold opens slowly, the white rabbit peering in, he looks up to see Jefferson standing close stunned. He pushes the door open widely. Jefferson scoops up the white rabbit and slides through the door quickly. He begins to run, holding his daisy and the white rabbit, a large smile spreading across his lips.

"He's escaping!" A guard calls from a tower to Jefferson's left.

Three guards come charging from the palace to pursue Jefferson. He looks over his shoulder, still running to see them. A pink and purple streak passes him, jumping onto the closest guard's face, she claws at his face furiously before pouncing on another guard, sinking her teeth into his neck. The two guards stop to fight off the furious cat. A single guard makes it through and continues to chase Jefferson.

The white rabbit squirms out of Jefferson's grasp, dropping to the ground, he rolls from the impact, regaining his composure, he turns to face the guard. He jumps at him, kicking him with his back feet.

"Kat, hurry!" The white rabbit yells in Jonathon's voice.

Jefferson stops, turning back to the guard grabbing the white rabbit by his ears and throwing him aside. Jefferson pivots, swinging his arm with all his force, punching the guard in the nose. The guard drops, unconscious on impact. Jefferson looks around furiously, he spots the white rabbit lying on his side at the base of a rose bush. He scoops up the white rabbit, cradled in his arm and continues to run.

The pink and purple cat appears running alongside Jefferson.

The two of them dash through the rose garden and out into the open field ahead of them. Jefferson bursts into a large grin, feeling the cool fresh air fill his lungs. They continue to cross the land until coming to a grim land, the houses scorched and crumbling. Jefferson slows his pace, looking around at the houses.

"What happened here?" Jefferson asks weakly.

The cat looks around at the old crumbling houses, the foundations still standing strong.

"The Queen happened. She burnt down the village looking for the escaped prisoners." She says ashamed, bearing the burden of the remnants.

Jefferson holds the white rabbit closer to him, rubbing his thumb over his fur. They continue to walk through the ruins. Making it through the burnt village on the opposite side they come to a thick forest leading off of a fork in the path, the other path leading to a large house, painted with splatters of different colors. Jefferson smiles to himself at the house.

"Is Mad Hare still there?" Jefferson asks. "And sleepy mouse?"

The cat hangs her head in thought. Searching for the words. Jefferson looks down at the cat, imploring her with his eyes.

"They're in hiding in the mountains." The cat says quietly.

Jefferson nods and continues to the house. He walks through the vine archway, seeing the tea table empty besides a few remaining tea cups and saucers. Walking past it, his eyes lingering on the table. He remembers the first time he brought Katarina here, her smiles and laughter, clapping at the festivity of the tea party. They continue to the house, the door hanging open, detached from one hinge. Jefferson sidles into the dark home, a few dead leaves rustle with the breeze. The windows shattered, the curtains torn, the paint peeling. Jefferson makes his way through the house, turning left into the living area, he places the daisy in her tea cup on the wooden coffee table, cut in an octagon shape, atop it a couple of broken tea cups rest, dust collected on the pieces. He then settles the white rabbit on the couch on the right corner cushion, the only cushion not torn. The cloth covering it a dark green suede material. He pulls the old couch knit blanket of a beige color and covers the rabbit with it, up to his chin. The white rabbit blinks up at Jefferson.

"Thank you Jefferson." The white rabbit says with Jonathon's tired voice.

Jefferson pats the rabbits head, rubbing his hand down his ears. He then turns to examine the rest of the house.

"Shout if you hear anyone coming with those sharp ears of yours." Jefferson says, pointing behind him at the white rabbit.

He braces his hands on his hips, marveling at the old house. He makes his way around the coffee table and heads into the doorway ahead of him in the quant house. Finding himself in the kitchen, the dishes on the counters all broken, the floor covered in leaf foliage. He crunches through the leaves in the next room to his right, the dining room, the old table broken in half, he continues to the stairwell straight ahead, the breeze catching his cloak as he hurries up the stairs.

The cat watches him from a distance, following slowly behind, she makes her way up the stairs. The floor she lands on has two beds in it, the bedding thrown around the room. She tiptoes through the mess over to Jefferson, he's already climbing up a ladder on the far side of the room. The cat cautiously climbs the ladder clumsily. She mantles to the top floor and crouches lowly in the room. A single master bed set in the middle of the wall. The bedding rested in a circular fashion. Dried flowers placed on the side table. Jefferson looks around confused. He rests his eyes on the pink and purple cat crouching near the ladder.

"This used to be my home. My room." He says in a distant voice.

"I know." The cat says in Katarina's voice.

Jefferson snaps his attention to the cat again. He looks around the room wildly. Bringing his eyes back to the cat.

"I heard her. She's here?" Jefferson's face lights up.

The cat feels her chest sink, she slides backwards into the dark corner, feeling self-conscious. Jefferson looks under the bed, then crossing the room, pulling open some dusty curtains. The light spills into the room. A bookshelf on the right side of the room, dusty and filled with old books. Jefferson furrows his brow in frustration.

"Well, where is she?" Jefferson asks quietly.

He returns his focus on where he thought the cat was, finding her backed into the corner. He blinks a couple of time not understanding. The cat slinks from the corner over to the bed and hops up onto it. She carefully walks over to the pillows and buries her face under it, pulling out a brown paper parcel, tied with twine. She drags it out and scratches at the string. Jefferson walks over and unravels the string, opening up the paper. He rests his fingertips on the material inside. He lifts up the first garment, a crimson red tunic quarter sleeved shirt. Taking the garment into both his hands, he brings it to his face and inhale, closing his eyes. Pulling it away at his face he admires the item, then glances down at the cat on the bed. She's watching him carefully. Her golden eyes unblinking. Jefferson's eyes grow wide with realization, he drops the shirt, still gazing upon the pink and purple cat.

The cat jumps off of the bed, her back to Jefferson. Closing her eyes tightly, she searches for her heartbeat within herself. Two, one, two, one, two, one, skip, one, one, one. The cat's body materializes into a pink and purple powder, swirling around in a cyclone. The dust stops and falls to the ground around Katarina. She's kneeling on the ground, her legs tucked underneath her, and her hands resting on her bare thighs. Her brown hair tumbles down her back in a wave of soft curls.

Jefferson's body begins to tremble, his eyes transfixed on the woman. Katarina glances over her shoulder, sitting naked on the floor, she peeks through her long lashes to Jefferson. He steps forward weakly, collapsing to his knees, he timidly reaches to touch her arm. His fingertips brush against her skin and he inhales sharply.

Katarina wraps her arms around her torso, covering herself, becoming self-conscious in front of her husband. Jefferson watches her delicate slim fingers slide up her arms to her shoulders. His face pale, his eyes glazed over. The light illuminating her slender figure in an outline. Jefferson drops his hand from her arm, he crawls around her slowly, his eyes lingering on her thigh, then her knee, he sucks in a deep breath, bringing himself directly in front of her. He looks to her face abruptly, his icy blue eyes locking onto her golden hazel eyes, her dusty rose lips parted slightly.

Jefferson's pupils dilate, his chest feeling as if the wind has been knocked out of him.

"All this time… I thought.. I thought I'd lost you. And you were here all along… you told me that you didn't know what had happened to you and Jonathon… what happened?" Jefferson races through a million thoughts, trying to understand.

"Wonderland turns you into someone else. I don't know how long I had forgotten myself." Katarina whispers, her nails digging into her skin.

Jefferson sees her pain radiating from her, her shame. He reaches out, his hands trembling, he grabs her by her arms and pulls her gently into him, holding her tightly to himself. He inhales deeply, the smell of sweet flowers and powder filling his senses. He closes his eyes, cherishing the moment. Katarina relaxes in his grasp, burying her face into his chest.

"I've missed you." Jefferson says weakly, his emotions choking the words out.

"How's my Grace?" Katarina asks quickly, a hint of worry on her face.

Jefferson smiles and shakes his head.

"She's so brilliant and beautiful. She's a beacon of light, a ray of sunshine. She's amazing…but..I got stuck here because…." He chokes at the end of his sentence and closes his eyes.

Katarina looks up to his eyes, kissing his jawline gently. Jefferson's eyes snap open, he rests his gaze upon her, seeing her pulse in her neck, her chest rising and falling from her breaths. He raises his hand from her back to cup her cheek, he rubs his thumb over her soft cheek, the skin turning pink under his touch. He pulls her into a tender kiss.

Jefferson releases the kiss with his long lost wife and smiles at the recognition of her lips. Katarina smiles warmly and nuzzles her face into his chest. He lifts her up gently from the floor, cradling her in his arms and carries her to the bed swiftly.


	21. Chapter 21

Katarina dresses quickly, sitting on the edge of the bed. She glances over her shoulder to her sleeping husband, his outgrown golden brown hair glistening in the last rays of sunlight from the window. She turns away and smiles to herself before gently standing up, looking around the room, holding her long brown hair out of her face, searching the floor. She takes two amble steps on the floorboards and leans her weight on a creaky floorboard before kneeling to pry it from the floor. Underneath the floorboard a bundle is wrapped carefully in brown paper. She pulls the package to her lap and returns the board to its place. Satisfied with herself, she stands up swiftly, grasping the package in her hands and turning to glance at her sleeping husband again.

Jefferson is propped up on one elbow, laying on his right side, watching her silently with his piercing icy blue eyes. The hint of life now returned to his face. A small smirk displayed across his cracked lips, his facial hair grown in along his jaw and cheeks. Katarina's gaze lingers on his bare chest, the blanket covering just over his waistline. She clears her throat and returns her gaze to the package in her hands before tossing it on the bed to him.

"I had some time to be able to make you and Grace something for when you two would come to visit me. But um. I seem to have lost my mind before you did come back to visit me and couldn't recognize you. " Katarina rambles on, gesturing his her hands at nothing around her.

Jefferson breathes in sharply, looking down at the package. He hadn't ever thought to come back to look for her. Just that she had been helpless and was executed before he could do anything. He had accepted her death before even proving it. He had made Grace believe the same thing.

'_Grace…she believed that…'_ Jefferson thought to himself. With his free hand he scratched at his eyebrows, hiding his expression of guilt and despair. '_How many days did she wait….'_

"What's the matter darling?" Katarina's voice comes to him in a soft, hushed tone. She watches him carefully, searching his expression.

Jefferson waves the question off. He begins to pick at the paper of the package.

"Nothing, my love, just didn't..expect anything like this." He says in a false tone of an enlightened mood.

Katarina nods and clasps her delicate fingers in front of her, her arms hanging lazily. She twists her fingers slightly, imploring his face.

"You didn't come back, did you?" Katarina says, more in realization to herself. "That's ok, I understand completely. But please do get dressed, we have to find somewhere safe, and somehow to get back to Gracie." She continues on, making her way to the ladder to the exit of the room.

She quickly descends the ladder, feeling her feet on the ground, testing the weight she had long forgotten, and the balance.

Jefferson dresses himself in a clean, newly made, charcoal gray button up shirt, with a black vest with black leaf filigree sewn in patterns over it, along with a wine colored scarf made of a soft, caressing fabric. Along with his worn tight black pants. He rubs down the fabric of the vest and turns towards the window, catching a weak reflection of himself. Noticing his mop of hair on his head, he turns towards the side table, next to the bed and opens the top drawer. Everything in it is neatly arranged, a pair of gleaming sheers rests comfortably on a square of fabric, he retrieves the sheers, opening them and inspecting the blade, the fabric catching his eye, he retrieves it gently, feeling the material between his fingers. Turning the fabric over, he notices a hint of stitchwork. He places the sheers down on the table and unfolds the square to reveal:

'_K.C.' _With a purple flower embroidered onto it. Jefferson closes his fingers around the cloth and brings it to his lips, his hands trembling, a wave of anguish coursing through his body.

"Is everything alright?" Katarina's voice drifts to him from behind. Her tone like a sweet song.

He turns around quickly, stuffing the cloth into his back pocket swiftly. He shakes his head and points to his hair and laughs. Katarina smiles warmly and strides over to him, pushing his hair back from his face.

"It's ok, I can take care of this for you." She whispers to him endearingly. She glances past him at the table and spots the sheers.

She leans past Jefferson to pick them up and places the closed blade in her empty palm, closing her fingers over them. She stands upright and returns her gaze to Jefferson's eyes. A hint of sadness in them. Katarina slightly turns her head to the side and furrows her brow.

"Something is bothering you." She states calmly.

Jefferson rubs his eye with the back of his hand and then starts to scratch at his facial hair on his chin. He shakes his head slightly and smiles.

"Nothing is bothering me." He responds softly, his voice almost inaudible.

Katarina shakes her head and motions for him to sit at the foot of the bed. She retrieves a fluffy cloth and wraps it over his shoulders before sitting behind him on the bed and begins to snip at his curly locks. She methodically runs her fingers through his hair and snips away carefully.

"No. Something is bothering you, Mr. Hatter. I've yet to know exactly what, but something is. I'll find out sure enough though." She says playfully.

Jefferson focuses on her fingers moving through his hair, he can feel the weight lifting from his head as she cuts away the tangled mess. Small ringlets and tuffs of hair falling to the floor around him. His chest feeling heavy, all the while.

"Kat…" He starts in a soft tone.

"Yes?" She responds in the same playful tone, attempting to lift his mood.

"What was the last thing you remember before Wonderland took it's toll." Jefferson asks carefully, slightly glancing over his shoulder.

Kat sits back, tapping the tip of the sheers to her lips, she looks off to the wall in thought.

"It wasn't like that for me, where one day I was myself, and the next I was Chesh. There were moments. Almost like a dream." Kat explains in a dreamy voice, trying to remember.

Jefferson turns around to face her, sitting halfway on the bed. Kat waves it off and gestures for him to turn back around before she continues her work on his haircut. Jefferson sits quietly, his hands clasped, resting on his thighs as he straddle sits.

"Do you remember how long it was before?" Jefferson asks meekly.

"I can't say that I do." Katarina lies swiftly. '_217 sunrises..'_ She thinks to herself.

"You're lying." Jefferson states, having heard the inflection in her voice.

"As are you." Katarina responds quickly, she pulls on the fabric from his back pocket abruptly.

Jefferson turns around at the realization of the motion. She places the sheers back on the side table before holding up the cloth to him. Jefferson grasps it carefully and turns it over in his hands. His hair now cut into it's usual fashion, short on the sides and back, fluffy on the top.

"What is bothering you so much, my husband." She asks softly.

Jefferson shakes his head and brings the cloth to his lips again, looking towards the window, away from her, a deep orange sun setting beyond the horizon.

"It's ok…" Katarina continues on, she places her delicate hand on his upper arm, squeezing gently.

Jefferson stands and removes the towel from his shoulders, shaking it off of the hair. He kneels to use the towel to sweep the hair into a pile, picking it up and moving it to a small wastebin in the corner by the door, he drapes the towel over the brim. Returning his gaze to the sunset through the window, he rubs his chin absentmindedly, pursing his lips together.

"Where did you get this?" Jefferson asks quietly in a flat tone.

"I found it in your study a long time ago. I don't think that that's what's bothering though. It's something else. Something you're feeling ashamed of, or disappointed in." Katarina continues, studying Jefferson's stature.

Jefferson turns his head sideways, causing his neck to pop, he shakes his shoulders in an attempt to regain his composure.

"You're treating me like I've done something wrong..Jefferson? Please tell me what it is." Katarina pleads in a weak voice, her words shaking.

Jefferson looks to his trembling wife, sitting on the bed still. Her hazel-gold eyes filled with worry and fear. He lunges forward, dropping to one knee in front of her and taking a hold of her delicate arms, sliding his hands down the length of them to her soft hands.

"No, no. My lovely, Kat. It's not anything of that nature. Don't jump to such a conclusion. You have done nothing wrong. It is the nothing that I have done, that bothers me." Jefferson mutters out quickly, placing a gentle kiss on the back of her hands.

"There was nothing that you could have done. I don't understand why you're doing that to yourself." Kat responds quickly.

Jefferson lingers above her hands, his warm breath brushing the back of her fingers. He stares blankly at her soft skin, slightly freckled from the sun's exposure.

'_She came to the same conclusion, long ago…I couldn't just condemn two other people to their deaths…a sacrifice..'_ Jefferson thinks to himself, remembering his initial plan of bringing two other people to leave, in return for his wife and brother-in-law.

Katarina retracts her hands from his grasp and pushes his hands down, getting his attention to return to her face. She tilts her head slightly, giving him a small smile of reassurance that everything is alright, as her loosely curled hair spills over her shoulder.

"I never came back to you…" He whispers, almost to himself.

Jefferson searches his wife's face for any expression. Katarina remains still, her eyes glazing over, lost in a thought unbidden. She shakes her head and waves her hand in front of her face, as if brushing it off.

"I understand. It would have been too dangerous, coming back, I mean. Bringing Gracie along, there could have been another accident where she was stuck over here as well. Or even yourself, and she would be all alone." Katarina justifies with maturity.

Jefferson's shoulders sinks as he listens to her.

"That wasn't why….but that's exactly what happened, for the wrong reasons." Jefferson mumbles out quickly, his heart sinking in his chest.

"I don't understand by what you mean." Katarina states blandly.

Jefferson turns his eyes to the floor. Katarina shifts uncomfortably on the bed, crossing her legs and resting her hands on her thighs. She taps her fingers quickly out of irritation and habit, like a swish of a tail. Jefferson looks up to catch her tapping fingers and returns a raised eyebrow glance at her. She stops her tapping as she looks to meet his glance.

"That's new." Jefferson says, off-topic.

"Strange habit that had formed over the years of waiting." Katarina snaps in response.

She stands abruptly, causing Jefferson to rise as well and takes a step away from her.

"Well that's in the past. And luckily, our dear rabbit had once told me that he often left Wonderland on some business, to a room full of doors. A blond girl used it once to get in and she somehow got out before using my ticket home. So. Once he is rested and returns to himself, he will be able to lead us out of here. And we will be back with Grace. And we can just never…..come back here, ever again. Sounds….Wonderful. Don't you agree Mr. Hatter?" Katarina explains quickly with a hint of aggravation in her voice.

She smiles falsely before pressing the sheers into Jefferson's hand and exiting the room, down the ladder.

Jefferson turns the sheers over in his hands before returning to the side table, pulling the drawer open again he retrieves a small looking glass and a jar filled with a jelly substance, and places them on the surface of the table. He pulls his scarf away from his neck, loosening it, the tip of his finger runs over the bump of his newly acquired scar, he stops suddenly, his finger lingering on it. He looks over his shoulder to the ladder, reassuring he's alone. He pulls his scarf off and hastily grabs up the looking glass, peering into it. The scar a deep red color, circling his entire neck, the skin is new and fresh, raised up, like a seam.

He runs his fingers along it, feeling the texture of it, wincing at the pain he hadn't expected. The memories flooding back.

'_I'm…alive… I'M ALIVE.'_

_'For now.'_

Jefferson lowers the mirror and looks to the wall of the room. He lazily slides the looking glass onto the side table again and picks up the sheers and jar carefully. He clutches the jar in his hand, his knuckles turning white from the pressure, his body beginning to shake in anger. He sits down on the bed haughtily, placing the sheers across his lap, with his free hand he props up the looking glass against the candle holder. He then opens the jar of jelly and dips his fingers into it, applying the substance to his facial hair, satisfied with the amount, he places the jar on side table and regrips the sheers, taking the open blade to his cheek, pulling the skin taught with his free hand.

"Mmm." Jefferson hums as a small knick appears on his cheek, a small drop of blood forming.

He continues to be rid of his facial hair, attempting to not cut himself too much. Finishing with his face, he surveys his scar again before starting at the bottom of his jaw, inching his way towards the scar. His fingers beginning to twitch near the scar. He stops to catch his breath, the sight of his scar causing him to feel dizzy.

'_She said a room with many doors. A rabbit hole? I'm.. I'm going home. To my Grace.'_ He thinks to himself reassuringly.

Becoming frustrated with his task, having to look at what should have killed him, and being afraid to touch his scar, he slams the sheers onto the side table and growls lowly to himself.

"Jefferson.." Katarina's voice drifts from the ladder.

"Mmm yes?" He responds with a hint of irritation to his tone.

"Is everything alright?" She responds in a slightly replicated tone as his.

Jefferson smiles to himself in annoyance with himself, and the situation. He chuckles to himself and shakes his head.

"Could you assist me a moment?" Jefferson asks after a moment of self-loathing.

He hears her ascend the ladder and climb up onto the platform. Jefferson glances over, his elbows resting on his thighs, leaning over in a slight hunch. He twirls the sheers over his index finger, sending the blades in a glinting spiral. Catching the blades in his hand, stopping the cyclone, he taps the handle to his forehead and laughs again at himself.

"I uhm. I've become rather rusty at this shaving business. And I can't seem to get the neckline just right." Jefferson says in his usual inflicted voice. "Could I possibly trouble you to do it for me?"

Katarina nods once and strides over to him, holding her hand out for the sheers. Jefferson places the sheers into her palm, blade first. She opens the blades and inspects them quickly, she squints at them and looks to Jefferson's face, noticing a knick across his cheek. She gestures for him to look up as she kneels in-between his straddled legs. Jefferson peers into her hazel-golden eyes for a moment, blank of expression before exhaling deeply and adjusting himself, looking up slowly. Katarina drops her gaze to his neck, her eyes lingering on his scar. She pauses slightly, hesitating, her eyes transfixed on the scar. Jefferson looks down, back at her again, his face displaying a "I know, this is stupid, right?" expression. Katarina waves him off and gestures for him to look up again. He obliges and returns to his position. She leans forward and carefully begins shaving away stubble here and there, her fingers resting against the clavicle underneath the scar. She clears her throat as she gets closer to the scar, she quickly completes the task and taps his leg when she's finished, rising from her kneel.

"Does it…." Jefferson starts, trailing off, not wanting to ask the question.

Katarina closes the sheers and returns them to the drawer in the side table, brushing her hands off on her pants. She stops and watches Jefferson rub at his jawline.

"It looks good, a nice clean shave." Katarina says, trying to compliment her husband to make his mood turn for the better.

Jefferson shakes his head and runs his fingers through hair, chuckling, he looks up to meet her gaze, a serious, yet mocking smirk across his lips.

"No, not that. Does the… um.." He points at his neck in a swiping motion. "Do you find me.."

Becoming frustrated with his question he waves it off and stands quickly, grabbing up his scarf and looping it around his neck hastily.

"Ask your question so it doesn't fester and put you in a sour mood." Katarina states bluntly.

Jefferson wipes his hands over his cheeks and jawline again, his icy blue eyes lingering on her face. Her eyebrow is raised, a fierceness to her eyes, her lips closed comfortably, showing no sign of strain.

"Does it disgust you?" Jefferson asks. "As it does me."

Katarina's face instantly snaps into a scowl.

"You're a vain man, Jefferson. But if you've become daft as well, I will not have it. Are you worried that I no longer love you or feel attracted to you? Because why? Because you didn't come back for me, not even to see if it was possible that I may have survived. Or is it because you thought that I was so weak and feeble to be unable to save myself and my brother? Do you think that I hate you? What is it Jefferson that is eating you up so much that you have come to be a person that no longer tells me anything and everything on his mind. I will not stand here and try to pry every last strand of guilt from this web that you have woven over the years. Just know that I love you, I promised that until death. And I didn't die, I'm not dead. Do get over yourself." Katarina unleashes upon him, her hands planted firmly on her hips.

Jefferson rubs his hands together, taking in her words. He nods once and looks to the floor, having been scolded. Katarina steps forward, placing her hand on his cheek, rubbing her thumb over the cut. Jefferson turns his eyes to hers, a softness now displayed in them, he reaches up quickly, removing her hand from his cheek and cupping it in his hands, kissing her fingers gently.

"No. It doesn't disgust me. It hurts me that it happened. And I watched it happen. It's a memory I'll never forget." Katarina states softly before withdrawing her hand and dropping it to her side.

Jefferson nods again and turns to the bed to retrieve another dark item along with the package wrapped around another item. He hands the package to Katarina, she accepts it and watches him as he adorns his new black coat, with silver stitching and leather collar. He brushes down the sleeves and adjusts the collar again, allowing the coat to fall into place. He turns around to face his wife, pulling on the cuffs of the sleeves, he holds his arms out, looking down at himself before returning to her eyes, seeking her opinion.

"Remarkable." Katarina says sweetly.

"Well of course, you did make it." Jefferson says blandly.

Jefferson continues to look over his coat, the length reaching mid thigh, he inspects the buttons and the embroidery of Victorian filigree on the fabric in a darker black thread. He raises an eyebrow and nods, approving of the handy-work. Looking up to meet Katarina's eyes, and an unexpected smile displayed on her dusty rose lips, not a wide grin but a soft delicate smile.

"I didn't mean the outfit." She states playfully.

Jefferson bursts into a grin with a slight laugh.

"Then what is it. Just go on and say it." Jefferson snaps back in the same playfulness.

"Do hush, Jefferson. You know what I meant. You're always fishing for compliments." Katarina waves off his vanity.

"Oh, come on." Jefferson continues, taunting her, he stands up straight, clasping his coat at chest height, his chin held high.

Katarina giggles, covering her lips with the tips of her fingers and slapping him on the arm with her free hand. Jefferson feels his chest lighten as he inhales deeply, chuckling out in excitement.

"You look rather dashing. And more like yourself." Katarina finally admits.

Jefferson smirks immediately, he reaches for Katarina, sliding his arms around her waist and picking her up swiftly, pressing her to him, lifting her off of her feet. She braces her hands against his shoulders, looking down at him as her hair tumbles over her shoulders. Katarina laughs in surprise.

"Kat. Mrs. Mad-Hatter." Jefferson says in a hushed tone.

Katarina hums in response.

"You look as beautiful, if not more so than the day I met you. And I love you." Jefferson speaks gently, gazing into her eyes.

Katarina smiles warmly, she leans down slowly, placing a small kiss on his forehead.

"Let's go home to our Grace now." Katarina whispers to him.

**So we're to the point where we are going to be entering StoryBrooke. I've got a lot of ideas for this part, it's just taken so long to get to. Haha. I'm terribly sorry for the neglect as of late. I'll try to keep up on this more. Thank you for reading. **


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